• Gamage to address issues via amended Sports Act

SJB MP Hesha Vithanage, commencing the Committee Stage debate of the third reading of the Head of Expenditure of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports linked to the 2025 Budget proposals, charged that IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon has been on the pay list of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), yesterday (18).

He alleged that the sport’s local controlling body situated at Maitland Place, Colombo 7 has on the sly looked into Tennakoon’s wellbeing, by forking out a monthly salary of Rs. 150,000, besides supplying other luxuries such as 200 litres of petrol, mobile phone and a laptop.

“Isn’t this a clear case of corruption-ridden Sri Lanka Cricket bribing the IGP to hold onto their reins,” the MP alleged.

“I challenge this NPP Government if possible to lodge a complaint with the Bribery Commission and probe this startling allegation against both the Shammi Silva-led SLC and the IGP, who has gone missing for over two weeks. If the Government fails to probe this grave charge, then that would further underscore the widely held belief that the current regime has also been bought over by the filthy lucre of the SLC,” he said.

Vithanage, kicking off the debate, accused the subject Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage to disprove the widely-perceived allegation that the current NPP Government, had also not been bought over by the Shammi Silva-helmed SLC.

He accused that the Executive Committee of the SLC, had pulled the wool over the public’s eye by amending its Constitution a few months ago, thereby reducing the voting membership from 147 to 60.

He alleged that out of 22 District Associations, politicians continue to function as presidents, and challenged the minister concerned to show to the House, how the recent amendments to the SLC have not paved the way for the current Executive Committee to retain power come what may.

The SJB lawmaker, among a litany of allegations directed at the Government concerning the country’s cricketing firmament, questioned as to why the Sports Minister has thus far failed to submit to Parliament the Chithrasiri Committee report.

The said report, commissioned by the previous Government and headed by retired Supreme Court (SC) Justice K.T. Chithrasiri was submitted to ex-President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

But he noted that it is yet to see the light of day even after the lapse of three months since the current Government took office.

The Opposition MP also informed the Legislature that during the Special General Meeting (SGM) of the SLC held on 20 December 2023 its Executive Committee had amended its constitution, granting life membership to its Treasurer Sujeewa Godaliyadda.

He alleged that a letter to this effect had also been surreptitiously signed by the Sports Ministry Director General (DG) Shemal Fernando.

Vithanage warned that if the Sports Minister fails to intervene and prevent the incumbent Ex-Co of SLC from contesting the 31 March election of office bearers in lieu of the severity of allegations levelled against them, his party will file legal action over the same.

He also called for a forensic audit of the SLC for the period from 2016 to 2024 and said that if the current SLC Ex-Co. is allowed to run for office again, it will be a violation of fundamental rights of the people and those who are truly eligible to stand for election.

He further agreed with the recent remarks posted on his facebook account by former national captain Roshan Mahanama, who had raised concerns of the Government’s decision to build an international cricket stadium in Polhena, Matara.

The MP added that the need of the hour was not the construction of such venues, but to provide facilities for rural athletes to fine tune their craft.

The SJB MP also challenged the Sports Minister asking if he has the backbone to initiate an investigation against incumbent President of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) Jaswer Umar.

A litany of charges related to corruption and fraud has been directed by a previous COPE Committee report against Umar and Vithanage said that the current head of the FFSL should be held responsible for the parlous state of football in the country, where FIFA has suspended its funds to the local body.

Responding to the allegation, Minister of Industries Sunil Handunneththi stated that contrary to the widely held notion, the Government has not decided to construct any international stadium in Polhena, but only a cricket training school in keeping with international standards.

He said that the Government cannot take the rap for the subtle publicity campaign that has been launched by Shammi Silva targeting its upcoming AGM, where it has been mentioned in the media that an international-level stadium was being built in the said area.

Hundunneththi, a former head of the COPE Committee, opined that it would be impossible for the top brass of Sri Lanka Cricket to buy over MPs from the Government to cover up and remain in power in the face of mass-scale allegations of fraud and corruption.

Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage, in his initial remarks, stated that most of the work related to amending the Sports Act has been completed and vowed to table it in the House for ratification in due course.

He stressed that all salient points raised by MP Vithanage would be addressed via the enactment of the Sports Act, as the Government has no intention of siding with individuals or groups, but only determined to uplift the lot of athletes and the sports sector overall.