Shuttlers forgo WJBC over unfair selection?
Sri Lanka’s participation at the World Junior Badminton Championships (WJBC) hangs in the balance after players and their parents refused to withdraw their complaint over an unfair selection to the Special Investigation Unit of the Ministry of Sports.
The aggrieved parties met with badminton officials yesterday to discuss a way forward but it all ended in a stalemate when badminton officials insisted on parents and players withdrawing the case filed against them to facilitate their travel to Spain. This has been strongly rejected by the parents and the players. The WJBC will be played from October 24 to 30 in Spain.
However, a parent, of a victimised player, speaking to the Sunday Times immediately after the two-hour meeting said, “We won’t withdraw the case. We don’t want to go. We’re moving out”.
“They demanded the case be withdrawn. Else, the sponsor, the president himself, won’t release any funds,” he added, firmly.
Palitha Hettiarachchi, Vice President in charge of High Performance, also present at the meeting, however, denied saying such a stance was never made, and instead, they have only told they would rather face the inquiry.
“We’ll have to wait and see for funding. Since the inquiry is on, we don’t know what would happen to us,” he said.
Sri Lanka were to send six shuttlers, three from each gender with top player in each gender to be fully funded by Sri Lanka Badminton Association (SLBA). Subsequent to the meeting finishing at loggerheads last afternoon, their chances also have been ruined, altogether, the parent added.
This week, following the summoning of, Rohan de Silva, the Chairman of National Selectors, Niroshan Wijekoon, was also summoned on Wednesday (21), and so were the complained parents, two of them, the previous day on Tuesday.
Director of the SIU, Jagath Fonseka said they intend to obtain statements from the children too. Once these statements seeking are concluded, the report would be then forwarded to the Attorney General Department as it is a High Court matter.
“There have been double standards and flaws in filtering the final set of players for WJBC. They have omitted players having coming first, and considered players from the second round,” Fonseka disclosed.
One of the selectors, having struggled to stomach the pandemonium and partiality in selections, had tendered his resignation, was also called in for statements.
Sources said the parents of players were compelled to sign a document, consenting they can pay Rs 1.1-million, if not their children would be denied the trial itself. The amount initially was Rs 1.8-million. However, was slashed to the aforementioned amount after complaints galored.
“We were forced to sign, if not, they won’t allow our children to play the trial. It’s illegal, they can’t do it. We did so for the sake of playing the trial,” said a parent, an ex-official of the SLBA.
Late last week, though the Sunday Times verified with Senior Superintend of Police (SSP) Fonseka that de Silva, also the Chairman of McLaren’s Group, was called over – clarity and explanatory purposes – for three-hours, in a stunning contradiction, he denied that he was issued a summon.
“As far as the association is concerned, there is absolutely no problem. I was not summoned, either,” de Silva denied.
“Not to the badminton association (on any complaints). But I understand there are complaints made to the ministry and to an investigation unit at the ministry. I don’t know (on the issues) and I have not got it”.
This had been after the investigation unit, set up at the Sugathadasa Stadium, had received two complaints from the parents on the matter. The preliminary trials had been worked off from August 22 to 26. The final trial started on September 13 and had seemingly finished last Monday (19).
“(WJBC), there is an inquiry. Hence, we’re waiting till the inquiry is over,” Wijekoon said declining to disclose details on what prompted the inquiry.