Netball in another tangle?
With very little reason to be proud about the local sports arena, it seems as if netball is in pursuit of a possible downfall as some successful and lucrative sports in the country, with the brewing of a potential administrative feud.
It was after three decades that Sri Lanka netball happened to come in unison, with the Asian Championship trump, but the glory earned, looks likely to become a cameo stint. Just up six months away from the much anticipated World Netball Championships and with more plans drawn, all is likely to be blown away with the wind, after the newly appointed officials of the Ministry of Sports directed the Sri Lanka Netball Federation (SLNF) to hold its elections.
This comes as a sudden blow for the current SLNF administration, according to insiders, as they had drawn long term plans with the current netball Head Coach, Thilaka Jinadasa. The present SLNF administration was elected in June, 2017 and should have continued up to 2021, according to the Sports Law of the country, which many sports associations follow, including netball.
But out of nowhere, the Ministry of Sports, under the guidance of Chulananda Silva, its Secretary, has instructed the SLNF to hold a Special General Meeting (SGM) on or before February 10 and to make way to hold the elections after appointing an Election Committee.
But the SLNF is crying foul at the move as its officials claim that they were elected for a four-year tenure in 2017, according to the Amended Sports Law. The Ministry of Sports is under the impression that SLNF should hold elections as soon possible, but the sudden call has created chaos and confusion among the netball fraternity.
Some individuals in the netball circle claim that certain elements from within had made complaints to the Ministry of Sports, claiming that the SLNF has not amended its constitution to suit the Amended Sports Law, which enables the elected officials to serve four years at a stretch. But it is unclear if the claims made are seriously studied by the Ministry of Sports officials, before making its call.
According to an insider, the SLNF had amended its constitution in late 2016 according to local and global requirements, enabling its officials to serve a four year term. But the latest call made by the Assistant Director Sports of the Ministry of Sports, R.B. Wickramasinghe, the SLNF constitution had been re-amended on February 13, 2017, drawing netball back into its former constitution, where the tenure is valid for one year.
The present elected SLNF officials, however, have served almost two years by now, as other sports associations which had its elections in 2017. But the change of the constitution is news for the SLNF officials, even today, as they have focused on a long term development plan, which is already beginning to reap its rewards.
After almost a decade, Sri Lanka had netball in the league of triumphant sports the island nation had come out with, since winning the Asian Netball Championship 2018 in September. It was an international title win netball pocketed after nine great years.
The plan was set afoot when the present administration of SLNF, headed by Trixie Nanayakkara, decided to bring down celebrated coach Thilaka Jinadasa, a double international who turned out for the country in netball and athletics. Jinadasa, who apparently was the coach when Sri Lanka grabbed its last international title in 2009, was eventually brought down to the country from Brunei, where she had earned a great reputation for putting the country on the world map through netball. Her appointment as the Head Coach of Sri Lanka netball occurred in early 2018, but after many obstacles from the fraternity itself, who opposed the decision of SLNF.
What occurred since then was a fairytale. As Jinadasa pledged, she delivered, by winning the Asian Netball Championship 2018. To put netball back on the winning track, Jinadasa had to face criticism by many but she managed the team and her position with utmost professionalism, that her current aim is to reach the Top 10 in the world. Sri Lanka was ranked 26th in the world prior to the Asian Championship 2018 and after the win the island nation moved up to 19th.
But the sudden move had even put Jinadasa in a confused position and some fear that she may even throw in the towel, if she has to come under a new SLNF administration. The progress shown during the past few months managed to bring back the honour and respect Sri Lanka netball longed for, for years, despite its failures and setbacks within the SLNF.
The current netball administration was praised for the professional manner in which they managed the national teams. Even the corporate sector, who came forward as sponsors of the sport, approved of all that they had done. But if the SLNF is only left with the option of going for an election as per the directive of the Ministry of Sports, based on a confused constitution, that had been amended more than once without anyone noticing it and the Sports Law, which looks even more confusing, it is likely that netball's current glory is not going to remain.