Former FFSL chief Anura lashes on ‘messy’ Umar
Former FFSL bosses Anura de Silva (R) and Ranjith Rodrigo (L) have been critical on the immediate past president Jaswar Umar's activities
With just six days left for the football elections, former President of Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL), Anura de Silva, lashed out at the immediate Past President Jaswar Umar, for ‘destroying the country’s image with sabotaging moves’. De Silva, the former head of FFSL prior to Umar’s tenure that started in June 2021, claims that the recent incidents are clear indications of sabotage to disgrace the country’s image despite hitting the lowest in FIFA global rankings at 207.
“With the new changes to the country’s Sports Act, it’s clear that he (Umar) cannot by any mean contest. Under this context he is trying his level best to get FFSL a global ban where no one can be elected,” claimed de Silva.
The FFSL election is set to take place on January 14 from 10.00am at the Sports Ministry Auditorium in Colombo, and by noon the football governing body of Sri Lanka will have a duly elected executive committee for a brief four months until end of May. The new committee’s first task would be to prioritise amending and adopting the existing Constitution with importance, after a statutory review process and electoral code. This was a matter FIFA has been reminding FFSL since early 2015, to remodel its Constitution, following a statutory review process and the electoral code.
During Umar’s tenure, which lasted from June 2021 to May 2022, the FFSL failed to make the constitutional changes as required by FIFA and the AFC.
The executive committee was given two extensions by the Sports Ministry in the hope that the FFSL would bring in the required amendments to the constitution but this was of no avail. The Ministry of Sports then dissolved all national sports associations that did not complete its annual AGMs and elections with immediate effect, including FFSL, on September 17, 2022 through a Special Gazette Notification.
Following this, on December 22, 2022 FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) issued a red notice to FFSL.
“We kindly ask the FFSL to provide us by no later than 3 January 2023 with an adjusted roadmap in line with our previous mutual understanding, foreseeing without further ado the election of a new executive committee for a four-year term as per the FFSL statutes adopted on 22 September 2022. Should no election take place in compliance with the aforementioned framework, the matter will be submitted to our relevant decision-making body for further consideration and possible sanction based on FIFA Statutes, including the suspension of the FFSL,” the letter clearly stated.
Many in the football circle are of the view that Umar himself, as the ‘legitimate’ representative of Sri Lanka’s football to FIFA and AFC may have instigated the matter through indirect influence, after the Ministry of Sports adopted changes to the country’s Sports Act, which prevents him from contesting again for the top position.
“At the previous meeting he (Umar) proposed that the elections should be held as open votes, whereas according to FIFA norms it should be held as a secret ballot. I opposed, because it’s a clear violation of FIFA regulations,” de Silva revealed.
Last week, Ranjith Rodrigo, de Silva’s predecessor at FFSL, held a press conference in Colombo, blaming Umar to the current messy state of football administration. He branded Umar as a ‘dictator’ for solely focusing on his own wellbeing and working unethically to remain in power by ‘hook or crook’.
Rodrigo, also a Vice President under Umar’s administration, critically questioned on financial irregularities that sums up to millions of Sri Lankan rupees without proper accountability, and attempts to sweep important matters ‘under the carpet’ including that of providing audited accounts during his tenure. The verbal spat continued for days after Umar claimed that the allegations are false.
Yet, according to a report of findings and recommendations signed by SSP W.J.H. Fonseka, the Director of the Special Investigative Unit of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on August 28, 2021, Umar, ‘as the General Secretary of FFSL acted in an irresponsible manner, it is recommended that he is unfitting to hold any position of any sports association or federation’. The report was based on accusations of misconducts in September 2021 by the Special Investigation Unit, on similar offenses, for ‘misleading the Auditor General, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and members of the Executive Committee and Council, for drafting and sending a letter to the Auditor General without anyone’s knowledge as the then General Secretary of FFSL on 17th of November, 2017’.
As at now, Umar has enjoyed the immunity of being President of FFSL, which allows him the safety under the protection of FIFA and AFC, as the country’s representative in football.
“This is a clear example of misusing privileges and mandate, to one’s own benefit. Ultimately football is the loser,” de Silva claimed.
Along with Umar, who competes under the Sri Lanka Referees’ Association, K.M.S. Perera of Vavuniya FL, Upali Hewage of Seethawaka FL, J. Sri Ranga of Mannar FL, Emmanuel Arnold of Jaffna FL and Jagath Kumara de Silva of Nawalapitiya FL have entered the race to the top position of FFSL. T.M.S. Indika of Matara FL, Emmanuel Arnold of Jaffna FL, Upali Hewage of Seethawaka FL and Jagath Kumara de Silva of Nawalapitiya FL have forwarded their names for the position of General Secretary. A. Nagarajan of Vavuniya FL and T. Suthagar of NSSA are the contestants for the Treasurer’s position.
A total of 13 names are listed in the competition for the five slots of Vice President, while five are in the run for the Assistant Treasurer’s position. A total of nine — five in Administration and four in Technical – will compete for the two Deputy General Secretary’s positions. A total of 59 representatives have been identified as eligible in the voting list, but two representatives have been disallowed to vote by the three-member election committee.