SLBA turns to the ministry for help
Suraj Dandeniya, as the current President of the now- banned Sri Lanka Badminton Association (SLBA) by the Badminton World Federation ( BWF), and his team of officials had met the hierarchy of the Ministry of Sports. A media communiqué issued by the Ministry of Sports states the SLBA officials has had a discussion with the ministry officials with the focus set on getting the ban imposed by BWF lifted.
“At the meeting the main item of discussion was the immediate steps to be taken to obtain the removal of the suspension of the SLBA by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and the preparation for the SAF games to be held in India in January 2016,” the statement issued by the Ministry of Sports stated.
Experts from the local sports field however, had blamed Dandeniya and his officials for not acting promptly during the recent past. They point out that Dandeniya had been an instrumental character in getting the Sports Law Act 23 of 1973, which was replaced by an amended Sports Regulation two years ago by the then Minister of Sports, Mahindananda Aluthgamage.
The changes contradicted constitutions of many local sports governing bodies and after months of debate the International Olympic Committee ( IOC) interfered to the matter prompting amendments to the new sports regulation. One of the conditions that were agreed by the officials of local sport hierarchy and IOC was to persuade local sports governing bodies to modify their constitutions and get them approved by respective international governing bodies, which never occurred. The ban by the BWF disallows the opportunities of Sri Lankan shuttlers in competing at international events conducted by the global badminton body. But the communiqué points out a way of bypassing the way to get local players to take part at regional level.
“The SLBA office bearers assured the officials of the Ministry that they will meet the officials of BWF and take necessary steps including the amendment of certain sections of the SLBA constitution to be consistent with the requirements of the BWF. The SLBA office bearers also assured the Ministry officials that the current suspension has no serious repercussion on the sport in Sri Lanka in the immediate future as it will not prevent Sri Lanka from participating in the SAF games to be held in January 2016 as the said games are not considered by BWF for world ranking and points”, the communiqué added.
According to comments from experts the SLBA or its presently appointed officials are not in a position to challenge the ban imposed by the BWF as it had failed to comprehensively act by the guidelines issued by the global body. The only option the SLBA is left with, according to these experts, is to amend its constitution and get it ratified by the BWF, which will pave the way to get the ban lifted.