SIU investigation on Asian Games badminton selection further delayed
The investigation by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) for Preventing Sports Related Offences of Sri Lanka Police, located at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, in connection to a complaint made by Mrs. Preethi Disna Ranjani Illeperuma, the mother of the national badminton champion Buwaneka Goonathilake, has faced further delays, as reported by the Sunday Times.
Following the Colombo Chief Magistrate's order for Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB) to assist the SIU in its pending investigation, the case was taken up on Wednesday at the Colombo Chief Magistrate, who ordered SLB to cooperate with the SIU. However, due to a motion filed by the badminton administration, the investigations have been hindered from progressing further.
The SIU initiated the investigation after Goonathilake was chosen for the Asian Games 2023 over the runner-up of the 71st National Badminton Championship, Viren Netthasinghe. According to the complaint made by Mrs. Illeperuma, her son, Goonathilake, had been the three-time national champion from 2021 to 2023, but the officials of Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB) favoured Nettasinghe over the three-time national champion to be included in the 97-member Sri Lanka contingent for the Asian Games, which had only one badminton player.
Mrs. Illeperuma stated in her complaint that her son had been subjected to discrimination despite being the national champion at the time of the selection process. After an investigation in which SLB officials failed to cooperate, the SIU presented a fact-finding report to the Colombo Chief Magistrate through its Director, the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Jayanath Wanasinghe.
Chief Inspector of Police Supul Vidanage, speaking on behalf of the SIU, pointed out that the failure of the SLB officials throughout the investigation had impeded the process and requested the court to issue an instruction to the SLB officials to cooperate with the investigation. Upon hearing the findings, the Colombo Chief Magistrate Prasanna Alwis ordered SLB officials to be present at the SIU on Thursday morning, but it was later found out that the badminton officials had filed a motion requesting a date change.
Goonathilake is one of the successful shuttlers produced in Sri Lanka in recent years. After representing Sri Lanka at the 2016 and 2019 South Asian Games, he has won three silver and two bronze medals. He was out of action for a brief period following his omission from the Asian Games contingent and had slid down in local and world rankings considerably. Currently, he is ranked third in Sri Lanka in Men's Singles and fifth and sixth in Mixed Doubles. In BWF rankings, he is placed 347 in Men's Singles and 191 in Men's Doubles, surprisingly with Netthasinghe as his partner.
On the other hand, Netthasinghe has had the opportunity to feature in more competitions both locally and internationally and has improved his ranking in Sri Lanka to number one. Globally, he is placed at 82nd in the BWF Rankings in Men's Singles and 191 in Men's Doubles. The duo, Gunathilake and Netthasinghe, were Men's Doubles partners even at the ongoing LiNing International Challenge, taking place in Galle.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, SLB issued a media release, following the incident receiving attention in local media. The release, typed on an official SLB letterhead, however does not include a date or a signatory, and explains the selection criteria followed at the given time.
The SLB release stated that at the time of selection, Viren Nettasinghe had the best national and world ranking positions, with his world ranking at 129 as of 21st March, 2023, and his Sri Lankan ranking at 09 as of 12th March, 2023. Buwaneka Goonathilake's world ranking was 409 as of 21st March, 2023, and his Sri Lankan ranking was 11 as of 12th March, 2023.
Contrary to the claim and order issued by the Colombo Chief Magistrate on Wednesday, the SLB media release states that it had 'responded to all correspondence issued by the unit (SIU)'.
"Sri Lanka Badminton has responded to all correspondence issued by this unit (SIU) through their legal consultants and have extended fullest corporation at all times even in the past. SLB reiterates that it has followed the accepted international and local procedure accurately in the above selection. SLB has always been extremely fair in dealing with all affairs of badminton administration and has been commended by many for its achievements in good governance on many occasions," the release further states, while being ordered by the Colombo Chief Magistrate to assist the SIU investigations on Wednesday.