SLC and Sports Ministry are headed for conflict
Despite being suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and facing threats from the country’s Sports Minister to appoint Arjuna Ranatunga as its temporary head, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) seems to be operating as usual. With the ICC’s approval, the SLC feels more confident and is able to continue running the game in the nation without a court order. In actuality, the suspended body is confronting the Sports Ministry head-on after it was first dismissed.
Additionally, it appears that the Sri Lanka president has loosened his opposition to the SLC. A few days ago, he informed Parliament that while he will review the three letters, which are available on this website and which SLC president Shammi Silva addressed to the ICC on November 6, 7, and 9, requesting the suspension of the body, there has been no discernible progress. Indeed, Ranil Wikremesinghe made a statement completely at odds with the remarks made by Ranatunga, who was supported by Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, claiming that Jay Shah and the BCCI control Sri Lankan cricket.
“Jay Shah does not manage cricket in Sri Lanka.” They believe Jay Shah to be an advocate of the cricket board. However, I met with Jay Shah and expressed regret that his name had been brought up, and he apologized,” the president of Sri Lanka said to the Indian publication First Post. The matter has been postponed by the court until Monday, November 27.
In the meantime, the Sports Minister has come under fire from the SLC, which refutes his accusations that the cricket organization embezzled money. “Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) wishes to state that the Ministry of Sports has misled the public and Sri Lanka Cricket by providing confusing details as to how it spent the Rs. 289 million grant provided by SLC to the National Sports Fund,” the SLC stated in a release on Friday, November 24. There are stark discrepancies between a document that Sri Lanka Cricket got from the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs under the Right to Information (RTI) Act and the press statement that the Ministry sent out detailing the allocation of the monies.
“The Ministry of Sports released a media statement on November 13, 2023, including 47 items detailing the expenditure of the Rs. 289 million grant from the SLC. But contrary to what was stated in the press release, the ministry has actually spent money on 67 activities, according to a document the SLC obtained on November 23 in accordance with the Right to Information Act.”
The Sports Ministry did not clear Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera, two of Sri Lanka’s best players, according to the SLC, hence they were not allowed to go with the team for the World Cup. “Sri Lanka Cricket, despite its intention to send Hasaranga and Chameera to the World Cup with the plan to play them at some point in the tournament after the duo recover from injuries, did not succeed, as the sports ministry did not approve the sending of the two players without medical clearance,” a statement issued by the SLC on Friday. It may have been the proper decision at the time for the Sports Ministry to refuse to grant clearance on the grounds of fitness.
Regarding the ICC, SLC is still suspended; nevertheless, it is still permitted to participate in international contests, with money managed by the ICC Board.
Sportzlanka.com
