| Thilanga
yells sham!
By Marlon Fernandopulle
Deposed and ousted former President of Sri Lanka Cricket Thilanga
Sumathipala believes that he is paying the price today after contesting
and defeating a highly influential political figure at a Cricket
Board election six years ago.
In
a wide ranging interview with The Sunday Times Sumathipala has turned
his guns on former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunge and some members
of the current Interim Committee who he says have misappropriated
funds of Sri Lanka Cricket.
Excerpts
from the interview:
Q: When the sports Ministers suspended the SLC you challenged
his decision and resorted to various means including locking up
the SLC, have you now given up your fight?
A: SLC was unlawfully and arbitrarily suspended.
Police power was used and SLC was taken over. We are only ordinary
citizens of our country. We do not have thugs or Police power. We
were worried about our lives. Therefore our committee decided that
we will leave it to the judiciary of the country to decide instead
of fighting the unlawful behaviour of the government.
Q:
One of the main reasons for suspending the affairs of SLC was the
misappropriation of funds, how do you respond to this allegation?
A: This is only a lame excuse that is given whenever the
Cricket Board is suspended or dissolved. All our Accounts are audited
by reputed Auditors and approved by the Auditor General. No other
sports body has audited accounts as at 30th December 2004. And if
at all there is a problem with the accounts and funds of Mohan de
Silvas committee that should be addressed separately. Why are they
stopping me from coming forward? Just because Jeevan Kumaratunge
has misappropriated funds will they dissolve the Government?
Q:
Who and Why do you think are stopping you from coming forward?
A: Well, until 1999 there was no problem. It all started
after I contested Mr Clifford Ratwatte and defeated him badly in
1999. With his family background, connections to Her Excellency
and political clout he could not take up defeat. Since that election
every time I attempted to come into the SLC, political power has
been used to stop me. So I believe that it is nothing but revenge
that is taken on me for contesting and defeating Mr Ratwatte.
Q:
Today’s Interim Committee is made up of individuals who are
perceived as top executives in the Corporate Sector which leaves
SLC in safe hands?
A: I don’t agree. You take some of the current names
today. Kumar Weerasuriya. He could not present the accounts when
he was the treasurer and he left the country before the AGM. Rienzie
Wijeythileke has played out the SLC by depositing millions in his
bank at a lower interest rate when he was in a past interim committee.
Then Tryphon Mirando as a secretary of a past Cricket Board signed
an MOU with Worldtel (together with a former President of the CB)
and we lost 01 million dollars.
Q:
But don’t you agree that they have got the ball rolling despite
various obstacles?
A: Not at all. They are only disrupting all what we have
planned. For instance we were preparing to sign the team sponsorship
contract with Dilmah for US $ 6 million. But look what the IC has
done. They are signing it for US $ 3 million. One deal and a loss
of US $ 3 million.
Q:
But isn’t the sponsorship of US $ 3 million due to the two
ICC Champions trophy tournaments and the ICC World cup not being
included?
A: Nonsense, if that is not included Dilmah will reduce
a further 1 – 1.5 million US $. This is what happens when
you have people with no knowledge, no experience or expertise in
running the affairs of SLC.
Q:
Do you think that the Sports Minister is aware of such losses incurred?
A: I don’t think so. Jeevan will never understand
this situation. He does not have any marketing background and does
not have any commercial sense to understand such a situation.
Q:
The IC has appointed a cricket committee that comprises some of
the finest cricketers and captains SL has produced?
A: When a politician is appointed to head a committee what
can you expect from that committee apart from it being politicized.
Arjuna Ranatunge is a captain who has lost the most number of matches
in the world. What can he offer?
Q:
But don’t you think that Arjuna would be the ideal candidate
from SL to represent the ICC-CC?
A: I don’t agree. At the last ICC-CC meeting where
Arjuna was also present, it was agreed that Ricky Ponting be allowed
to continue to use his bat despite the bat not conforming to accepted
standards. That should never have been allowed. Look what they did
to Murali.The ICC wanted his doosra stopped until all tests are
done. Why could not that have been done to Ponting.This is nothing
but discrimination.
Q:
You and your committee have also been accused of misappropriation
of funds when building the Dambulla Stadium. How do you respond
to this?
A: It’s Arjuna who is bringing these allegations
from time to time. Dambulla is a masterpiece. We spent 420 million
to develop 62 acres of land when compared to SSC (14Ac) and Khettarama
(21Ac). Today that stadium cannot be built even for 800 million.
All the money that has been spent has been accounted for and has
been audited. I don’t need money. I went to school in a Mercedes.
Of all people Arjuna has no right to say this. He knows how much
of money his family has played out. Does anyone know what happened
to Arjunas hostel project that he started after Sri Lanka won the
world cup in 1996? Arjuna collected eight million, where is the
hostel, who are the trustees, where is the money?
Q:
Despite the recent setbacks you have had with SLC are you still
hoping to achieve your dream of becoming the ICC president?
A: The way I got about things and drove the game forward
as an administrator it was the cricketing fraternity that thought
that I should get to the top of the ICC one day. But no, I do not
aspire for that position any more. However I will ensure that the
democratic process is restored here and our membership gets its
rightful place at the SLC.
Q:
What is the status of Cricket Aid?
A: It is very sad. Cricket Aid is not politics. It is purely
a humanitarian effort. We started a foster parent scheme among other
projects where 832-orphaned children received Rs.1000/- every month.
Now I hear that payment for the last two months have not been done.
They want to stop that project, as it is another success story of
ours.
Q:
But don’t you think that there are more important issues related
to cricket that should be tackled before projects like cricket –aid?
A: As a responsible body, Cricket-aid is part of our Social
Responsibility and Corporate Governance. You cannot run a Board
only to stand on a podium and give a cheque. You should have some
responsibility towards society. The cricketers are giving their
support and time so how can these people say they don’t have
time for these things. |
