SLC in crossroads ahead of election
While plans are being hatched to block the re-election of the incumbent administrators for a continuous third term by the Sports Ministry, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is looking for the protection of International Cricket Council to withstand ‘political pressure’.
Having failed to bulldoze the current SLC Board's plans for re-election in May through a series of regulations that introduced term and age limits among other things, the Ministry now awaits the completion of a special audit on SLC’s World Cup expenditure, hopefully, to fix the members on what it anticipates will be a misappropriation of funds.
The National Audit Office (NAO) is conducting a special audit on SLC’s expenditure during the T20 World Cup last year on the advice of the Attorney General’s Department, which went through a special investigation report by a six-member independent panel.
The panel headed by former Supreme Court Judge Kusala Sarojini Weerawardena had found the SLC had spent lavishly to send its officials to watch matches. It recommended an independent audit. It also proposed that the Sports Minister exercises his powers under the Sports Law and regulations promulgated thereunder to suspend, cancel or re-energise SLC’s affiliation with the Ministry.
The Minister, however, did not exercise his powers and instead sought advice from the Attorney General (AG).
In the meantime, SLC sought legal redress by filing a writ application challenging the regulations promulgated by the Sports Minister, citing them as illegal and unlawful, in violation of the principles of natural justice and the legitimate expectations of the petitioners.
With the heat turned up at home, SLC repeatedly wrote to the ICC over what it termed as ‘political interference’ in the administration. This was taken up at the recent ICC board meeting in Dubai. Consequently, the ICC has now asked Jay Shah, the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and ICC board member, to look into the allegations. Shah is also the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and has very close links to his counterpart in Sri Lanka.
“A panel hasn’t yet been appointed, but Jay Shah has been asked to look into it and will now work with the ICC management on what that looks like/scope of work etc,” ICC confirmed.
Sri Lanka's Court of Appeal, on February 27, issued an interim order staying the operation of the regulations until the next hearing on June 22. This allowed SLC officials to stand for election once more--and even be appointed uncontested--if the poll goes ahead as planned on May 20. Only Shammi Silva’s fraction handed nominations.
However, if the Board is found guilty of any wrongdoing--including misappropriation of funds--the Sports Minister has powers under the Sports Law and the regulations promulgated thereunder to dissolve the Board and go for an interim plan until an election is held.
SLC was last under a Competent Authority in 2018 when the then Sports Minister Faiszer Mustapha appointed Ministry Secretary Kamal Padmasiri to take over the administration after SLC President Thilanga Sumathipala’s term came to an end.
The ICC has in the past taken stern action over Government interference in the running of cricketing affairs, most notably when SLC was stripped of ICC full member status while under an Interim Committee in 2015.
The Football Federation of Sri Lanka is currently serving an international ban over political interference. Complete independence has been demanded in order to lift the ban.