Sports Minister removes DG
View(s):In a sudden turn of events, the Director General (DG) of Sports, Amal Edirisooriya has been removed with immediate effect by the Minister of Sports after obtaining Cabinet approval.
Edirisooriya confirmed that he vacated the post following the order on Friday (April 31). A senior Sports Ministry official said that the decision was taken after he had failed to discharge his duties to the satisfaction of the minister.
“Minister was not happy with his contribution to resolve some of the issues we are facing with regard to some national sports bodies, like Sri Lanka Cricket, Football Federation of Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka Rugby. These associations come under the direct purview of the DG,” explained a senior official, on the condition of anonymity.
Sports Ministry is currently in a running battle with Sri Lanka Cricket. Several attempts to stop current administrators contesting the election schedule to May has been successfully thwarted so far by SLC officials by challenging the new regulations introduced in courts. Ministry is now awaiting the completion of a government audit to look for the possibility of dissolving the board. The Football Federation of Sri Lanka currently is suspended by the parent body–FIFA citing third party interference.
“These sports bodies are being ran to the whims and fancies of those in-charge with no regard for the laws governing them and the DG has a big role to play. I think, minister was not happy on how he handled things. In most cases, the minister was in the dark and I am sure all these contributed to Minister’s decision,” he added.
Sources said that Additional Secretary Anura Muthumala will be appointed as Acting DG on Monday until the position is filled.
An advertisement has to be called within a fortnight and a permanent appointment needs to be sealed and presented to the cabinet within a month of the removal. They are now in the process of calling for applications.