Sri Lanka Badminton seeks clarification from Sports Ministry on SAG report

Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB) has sought a clarification from the Ministry of Sports regarding accusations that badminton players brought “loss and dishonour” to the country at the 13th South Asian Games (SAG) in Kathmandu based on the SAG Review Committee Report.

“On the whole, when it comes to international participation in future, if correct methodology and proper understanding is adopted to delegate duties and tasks to all concerned, it will help to reduce the number of problems,” stated SLB President Rohan de Silva in a letter addressed to V. K. A. Anura, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs. While acknowledging that the report submitted by the committee contained important facts which they would adopt in the future, SLB said it felt aggrieved with reports in the media regarding the report compiled by a ministry-appointed committee into the SAG performances.

Among 11 points highlighted in the report of the Gregory de Silvaled committee was “the loss and dishonor brought to the country by the inclusion of additional players who did not compete at the games by Sri Lanka Badminton”.

The Team Manager for Badminton at the SAG Thilak Jayasiri had attended an inquiry conducted by the

Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Sports (MOS) V. K. A. Anura, SLB CEO Trevor Reckerman said.

“The team composition and participation was clearly explained at the inquiry, underlining the fact that the players selected were well within the permitted number allowed by MOS/NOC (National Olympic Committee) for which precise written approval was received before departure to Nepal,” he contended.

“For the record, the SLB team was placed second only to India and returned to the island with 02 Gold, 06 Silver and 03 Bronze medals, an unprecedented medal tally in the annals of Sri Lanka Badminton,” he also pointed out.