Football: FFSL to summon former Financial Committees over finance statements

The FFSL is on the verge of querying the former Financial Committees and its members who served from 2013 to 2017, to clear off the discrepancies of audited annual financial statements for 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 and the financial statement of 2017. 

The FFSL, according to reliable sources, have already tasked an international audit firm to conduct a Forensic Audit of the financial statements for that period and are yet to receive a complete report of findings due to certain delays. 

According to former officials who are well aware of the football constitution, "the FFSL has no moral right or provisions from the constitution to summon members of its dissolved committees or sub committees." 

"However the audit firm that conducts the Forensic Audit has the right to make queries to support their findings from anyone from any given time period, only if the individual is willing. The FFSL can formally call in former officials or members of committees or sub committees, but the individual has all the right and freedom to decide if they wish to appear or simply not turn up, unless it's a legal notice from a judicial body," a former official said. 

But former FFSL President, Ranjith Rodrigo explaining on the negatives and positives of the FFSL stated that if at all it should be the Presidents, Treasurers, General Secretaries and the Executive Committees, including former CEOs, who should be answerable for any shortcomings. 

According to the FFSL constitution, financial statements are signed by the President and the Treasurer on behalf of the Executive Committee, after they go through a heavy channel which includes the Executive Committee and the Council, after which the General Secretary publishes the audit reports and audited financial statements to the Annual General Meeting. 

This logically make all in the pipeline liable, including the delegates of the AGM. 

Rodrigo's observation however makes him a liable individual as he was the President of FFSL from 2013 to 2015 which also makes Anura de Silva, his successor the for the following tenure of 2015 to 2017. 

Apparently both Rodrigo and de Silva have been part of the Financial Committees throughout the period of 2013 to 2017. 

However according FFSL constitution at a legal matter its President will become the plaintiff or defendant. 

"It's a very good move, that the FFSL has decided to go for a Forensic Audit. But I believe that those who headed the governing body in the respective periods should be held responsible, if the Forensic Audit Report findings show any discrepancies. If any such had occurred during my tenure, I'm willing to take responsibility and willing to coorporate with any professional entity that is handling the Forensic Audit report, as they are the experts in the area. I can assure that the findings will never be what the current FFSL administration are expecting, and it will have a boomerang effect," Rodrigo firmly said. 

Football experts, however, believe the current move by the FFSL hierarchy to go for a Forensic Audit is a good move that could clear all grey areas that have been the talking point for different factions within the sport. 

At the same time they are of the view that it could be a step to divert the attention of the recent proposal to provide monthly allowances to FFSL's two honorary members. 

"End of the day, football, as a sport, remains the same while so much taking place inside the Football House. The FFSL administrators should firmly think of uplifting the game to the next level, which we do not see happening sooner or later," a former top level football coach said.