NOC election coup thwarted
In December 2024, NOCSL, where Secretary General Maxwell de Silva commands majority support, passed a resolution to hold the election prematurely. This decision was taken despite repeated directives from the IOC and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to first address the ongoing governance crisis stemming from allegations of financial misconduct against de Silva.
“Please note that we do not see any logical reason why the upcoming quadrennial elections of your NOC should be held earlier than expected, as was apparently suggested by a number of members, before resolving the ongoing internal governance and ethical issues in an appropriate manner,” James Mcleod, NOC Relations, Olympic Solidarity and Olympism365 Director IOC says in a joint letter signed by Husain Al-Musallam, Director General Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).
“Such approach would only add unnecessary confusion and complications to the existing situation. Consequently, our very clear position is that your upcoming NOC elections should take place later this year at the end of the regular term, as planned initially (date to be decided in due course in close consultation and coordination with the IOC and OCA), and that, by then, the ongoing issues must be addressed and resolved by your NOC,” the letter issued on January 15, 2025 further reads.
De Silva remained suspended by the Ministry of Sports, NOCSL and OCA and IOC has approved the said suspensions, demanding de Silva him to stay away from NOC until the conclusion of the ongoing investigations.
“In the meantime, it is expected that any NOC member/official who is currently under investigation and/or sanction will simply stay away from the NOC, as per the basic principles of good governance and ethical standards within the Olympic Movement,” the letter stresses.
This demand comes two days after de Silva dismissed claims that he has been suspended from all his duties by the Minister of Sports, adding that Minister of Sports or the Secretary of the Ministry has no authority to suspend him under Section 39 or any other provisions of the Sports Law.
De Silva made these claims after NOCSL chief Suresh Subramanium issued a letter suspending him from office following recommendations by the NOCSL Ethics Committee and directives from the Ministry of Youth Affairs.
However, soon after de Silva’s refusal to accept the suspension, OCA slapped him with a 90-day suspension and demanded him to step aside from all NOCSL affairs until the ongoing investigations are completed. They also withdrew his accreditation for the Winter Asian Games in Harbin, barring him from attending the event–a previlage that he has enjoyed for over 15 years.
The OCA also said that it would not recognise any election involving de Silva.
Following the NOCSL’s continuous failure to implement its own Ethics Committee’s recommendations to suspend de Silva over serious allegations of financial misconduct, the Ministry of Sports on recently wielded its power by implementing the recommendation.
The Ministry of Sports took decisive action following NOCSL’s repeated failure to implement the Ethics Committee’s recommendations to suspend de Silva over serious allegations of financial misconduct. The ministry’s decision was based on five key findings: allegations presented in Parliament, the recommendations of a three-member investigative committee, the Ethics Committee’s suspension directive, the suspension of funds by the IOC, and ongoing investigations by the CID.
A government audit revealed that during the 2016 Rio Olympics, the then-NOCSL President and Secretary General claimed $10,000 each for travel and accommodation expenses despite receiving compensation from the IOC. These funds, delayed in reimbursement, were initially covered in Sri Lankan rupees by the NOCSL. The reimbursement only occurred in 2017, over a year after the expenses were incurred. The audit also uncovered that de Silva took six individuals to an international event without obtaining mandatory ministerial approval.
In response to the Ministry’s suspension of de Silva, 20 National Sports Associations affiliated with NOCSL, claiming to represent an overwhelming two-thirds majority, wrote to the IOC and OCA. They requested intervention to resolve the governance crisis, facilitate stakeholder discussions, and ensure a free and fair election of new officebearers. However, the IOC and OCA reiterated their stance, stating that communication would only be conducted through the NOCSL President.
“Under the current circumstances and as per usual protocol, please note that the NOC President will remain the main interlocutor of the IOC/OCA, and we will only consider communications addressed and signed by the NOC President (who is the legal representative of the NOC, as per your NOC Constitution), on behalf of the NOC,” the IOC and OCA emphasised in their letter.
The IOC and OCA have warned NOCSL to act swiftly and responsibly in resolving the crisis, emphasising that failure to comply could result in further actions detrimental to Sri Lanka’s Olympic Movement.