It is reported to The Morning Sports that officials of many national sports associations are not willing to align with the new legal regulations stipulated by Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe through a new gazette. 

The gazette notification, dated 14 December 2022, included several changes in sporting regulations, which were expected to cause havoc within the national sports bodies. As expected, before a week passed since the changes were announced, several sports bodies have reportedly shown reluctance to align with the new changes. 

Several officials from these national bodies allege that the legal regulations in the relevant gazette have been imposed only targeting Sri Lanka Cricket.

However, a major change included in the new Gazette was the age limit of 70 years imposed for holding sports positions. Earlier, when MP Dayasiri Jayasekara was appointed Minister of Sports, he attempted to impose the same restriction, but he had to withdraw it due to the protests from the national sports bodies at the time. 

In response to an inquiry made In this regard from National Olympic Committee (NOC) Chairman Suresh Subramaniam, he said: “Even if we act according to the sports law of our country, we are responsible to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In the new gazette, regulations have also been imposed on the tenure of officials of the National Olympic Committee. 

“The Sports Minister cannot impose regulations on the National Olympic Committee, as we are not registered under the Sports Ministry. We see this as an attempt to save the body from the problems that have arisen in the field of sports. 

“However, we are continuing our work after consulting the International Olympic Committee. There are people who steal and do corrupt work in the sports industry. But not every officer is like that. What needs to be done for that is to find the relevant corrupt officials and take action against them.”

Speaking to The Morning Sports regarding the new changes, Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) President Rizly Illyas said: “Four years ago, SLR years moved in line with the four-year term for office-bearers, with an election every two years. The sad part is that the Sports Ministry has lost its respectability with mid-term unions and federations, and is now on a witch-hunt, enforcing new laws to personally target federations that are doing well.”

“All this madness can only be gotten rid of with a general election, where the people have the mandate to elect new leaders. As for SLR, we have been against the wall during the tenure of the previous and the incumbent Sports Ministers, together with Asia Rugby, as they want to change the system illegally. SLR and I have engaged in legal proceedings to protect our rights and our dignity per the SLR constitution, and I am sure justice will prevail. 

“The NOC flexing their muscles is not good at all for our sportsmen and women, who will lose the opportunity to perform internationally and this would be made all the worse with the current arrogant attitude shown by the Ministry of Sports. At SLR, the current administration’s hands are clean. We are soon submitting a paper to the Ministry to inquire into the GBP 50,000 fine imposed on SLR by World Rugby and the current debt of Rs. 35 million. The presidents and office bearers responsible and answerable should be banned from holding any official appointments in any sporting bodies. These are matters that the Sports Minister and his Ministry should look into.”

Efforts by The Morning Sports to contact Sri Lanka Cricket on the matter proved futile.