Sports in total disarray; Football in the doldrums
View(s):
Football in Sri Lanka has two bosses, one recognised by FIFA and the other not, while rugby and cricket are targetted by MoS
Recent media reports make painful reading. First, there was the draft of an amended Sports Law which is being presented for cabinet approval. None of the National Sports Associations (NSAs) were consulted, let alone the NOC. Next we had the appointment of a Select Committee to undertake drafting of a new constitution for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
Excuse me, isn’t this
an independent sports body?
Check the faceboor post of November 28, 2022 by Charitha Senanayake, now a member of this venerable committee. Then came the respite of the William Webb Ellis Rugby World Cup doing the rounds courtesy of ‘Master Card’ and of course the dismal aftermath of the FIFA suspension of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL). What’s going on in other sports may not spark any reason for glee, though some enjoy the generosity of their masters at the Ministry of Sport (MoS).
It appears that the MoS is hell bent on running sports organisations without providing a policy framework, and in general, supporting the development of sports facilities, infrastructures and the national talent pool. Instead of that noble intent, what it seems to do is target sports bodies that attract big bucks.
One cannot find any other legitimate reason for it to grope the NSAs and stifle or interfere in matters outside their purview. If there are reasons that compel them to intervene, there is surely a better way to do this by engaging with the NSA in question and drawing on the expertise and appropriate supervision of the relevant international body. That way, proper transparency and resolution becomes viable and sustainable.
Let us take another hard look at football, which has been grabbing the headlines for the wrong reasons. FIFA engaged the MoS several months ago and pushed for an amendment of the FFSL statutes in line with an international model. The MoS, at that time, cooperated and indicated a willingness to follow a road map that was mutually agreed upon.
However, with a new MoS administration coming into play, that sensible path seems to have been overrun by other vested interests, with the result that FIFA had no option, but to impose a suspension. FIFA, for all its own internal distractions, is expected to follow due process, hence the rap on the FFSL knuckles.
Precise conditions have been given to FFSL that would facilitate a re-entry into the FIFA covenant, but local football politics took over and derailed that purpose. Now, the hard road for reinstatement must be followed. Initial communication by both the MoS and FFSL with FIFA has met with a stony silence.
The Webb Ellis Cup came to Sri Lanka, but SLR were not part of the campaign
Meanwhile, the FFSL President who was persuaded to represent a faction of the last FFSL electoral contest and won the right to office, chose to abandon the very people who engineered his entry into the cauldron of Sri Lanka football. With a declared intent of elimination corruption, he has all but banished several senior representatives from the Football House.
In addition, he has foisted a management style that is considered callous and abrasive by observers. The result is that Ex-Co members including the General Secretary and Treasurer have announced their resignations while several staff members including secretaries attached to the President’s office, have submitted their resignations.
President J. Sri Ranga is assisted by a former FFSL President and Secretary, especially to address the FIFA suspension issue, but how effective they can be given the present situation, is left to be seen. Many believe that a recent visit by the President to Malaysia was for this purpose, but such actions are shrouded in mystery and no information is available.
A Past President, Ranjith Rodrigo has been outspoken, demanding that all Ex-Co decisions made so far, are to be ratified by the General Council. That has not taken place. FIFA of course does not recognise this administration and continues to deal with the previous Ex-Co headed by Jaswar Umar, who is also a co-opted member of the Asian Football Confederation Ex-Co. This stalemate is exacerbated by multiple court cases, all causing a big drain on FFSL coffers.
FIFA provides all affiliated associations a grant of USD 8million for development projects and special activities. That is a colossal sum of nearly Rs.3billioon, something that must have the attention of MoS.
The travails of FFSL go back a long time. The MoS has been made aware of repeated mismanagement. Audit reports have addressed with some of them. But very little has been done to rectify these malpractices. Currently another round of investigations are been conducted by the Special Police Unit of the MoS. What outcomes there will be is left to the imagination. Meanwhile, the football community, especially its players, languish indefinitely. They are bereft of international participation. Locally too, sponsors and media houses do not find football an attractive proposition. FIFA largesse has propped FFSL over the years. These funds have been surreptitiously used to gild the personal fortunes of those at the helm. The time for change is nigh. Many knowledgeable football observers feel that a ‘Normalisation Committee’ is a natural sequel in such a situation. Only time will tell.