Former National Judo Coach Amal Rathnayake has written a letter to the Sports Ministry accusing National Olympic Committee (NOC) Secretary General Maxwell Silva of knowingly allowing former Judo Federation President Duminda Asela de Silva to jump ship after the Commonwealth Games held in England. 

The letter highlights a Judo Athlete named Rajitha Pushpakumara, who was selected for the 2024 Olympic Scholarship which is set to take place in France. He was selected for this grant after he lost to Chamara Nuwan Dharmawardane in a Judo Tournament held in Nawalapitiya back in December 2021.

Dharmawardane on the other hand has performed at the highest levels. He was deemed as the best Judo Player in the country in the year 2023. He also placed seventh at the Commonwealth Games last year. In the 2016 Rio Olympics, he was placed ninth while finishing at 17th place in 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. 

However, the scholarship was awarded to Pushpakumara by the former Judo Federation President Duminda Asela de Silva, who has now disappeared after traveling to the UK for the Commonwealth Games. It has also been reported that the selection of Pushpakumara was not accepted by the selection committee during that time. 

Former coach Rathnayaka also alleges that the scholarship was awarded to Pushpakumara for money rather than his performance in the sporting field. 

The letter pertaining to all this information was sent to the Sports Ministry and NOC yesterday.