Re-elected SLC Chief slams cricket’s cynics of trying to grab power

SLC President Shammi Silva (centre) addresses the media after the elections at Jaic Hilton. SLC CEO Ashley de Silva, Vice President Ravin Wickramaratne, Secretary Mohan de Silva, Vice President Dr Jayantha Dharmadasa, Treasurer Sujeeva Godaliyadda and Assistant Secretary Chrysantha Kapuwatte are also present

• SLC to establish separate budget to help other sports financially

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Shammi Silva who was elected uncontested as President of Sri Lankan Cricket (SLC) for a second time and a third term in office at the 62nd annual general meeting held at Hilton Colombo Residence on Saturday hit out at the cricket body’s cynics by saying that whenever elections are round the corner there is always opposition.

Silva was referring to the past six months during which period SLC went through choppy seas as people outside were trying to pressurise the Sports Minister to dissolve the cricket body and appoint an interim committee. 

“Sri Lanka Cricket is one of the most valuable sports bodies in the country and instead of putting obstacles in our path they should try and support us to win another World Cup,” said Silva at a press briefing held after the elections.

“Earlier we didn’t have enough money to pay the players and even our staff, so every time we had to go to the ICC and get a loan. At the moment we have $ 35-40 million in our kitty. In time it will become $ 75-100 million. My committee wants to establish a strong platform and whoever comes thereafter can run cricket comfortably.”

“Most of the people who are trying to enter SLC by various means are the ones who are interested in this money. They have a past record of putting SLC in the red. I don’t want to pinpoint what they had done because everyone including our stakeholders know how they ran cricket when they were in power. We are not bothered by them but we will go ahead with our plans for the betterment of the game in the country.”

ICC Involvement

Silva said that the ICC keeps an eye on what is happening with its member countries and when it finds out there is some political interference about to take place, they get involved.

“Not only has the ICC, but the main body of every international sport monitors their member countries because they are the ones who distribute the finances. Until we pass our accounts and send it to the ICC they won’t release the money that is due to us. It is the same with other sports. The moment they realise that something is wrong the ICC gets involved. It happened to Zimbabwe when the government interfered and the ICC suspended them. Zimbabwe managed to rectify their mistake in two weeks and the suspension was then lifted.”

The ICC sent a representative to Sri Lanka when SLC complained to them of unnecessary interference and a possible dissolution of the sports body. The ICC representative Usman Khawaja met SLC officials and also the Minister of Sports.

Mohan de Silva who was also re-elected as secretary said: “We had discussions with the representatives of ICC and outlined our grievances to him. Thereafter he met the Sports Minister and conveyed those grievances to him. There are so many things that deprive us from carrying out our duties independently. Although we have not heard from the ICC our grievances have been conveyed to the Sports Minister and that is why we were able to come to some kind of a settlement. There are no assurances as such but we are very confident because we are an elected body. Normally the ICC recognises only the elected body.”

When pressed for an answer as to what the political interference was from the SLC President, he said that the media conference was not a forum to discuss the matter, but in fact the Sports Minister has been made aware of it.

“We don’t have any problems with the Sports Minister, we are working very closely with him. He has his own ideas and we have ours. We will amicably work out a formula agreeable to both sides.”

Separate budget to help other sports

According to the recently announced financial distribution scheme, Silva said that SLC would receive double of what they have been getting from the ICC.

“The ICC has decided on the distribution on which countries are commercially viable. If you look at cricket worldwide it is India that brings in 90 percent of the revenue for the ICC and we also benefit by it. We have received $ 15-20 million more.”

With so much money in the kitty, Silva said that SLC has plans to have a separate budget to help other sports financially.

“We have got a request for Rs. 25 million to send the netball team abroad. We have approved it. Likewise, we have helped in racing and athletics as well. Our budgets are due to a rise in marketing and other areas so we want to have a separate budget to help other sports and CSR projects (Corporate Social Responsibility) as well.”

Silva said SLC’s priority is for the Sri Lanka team to do well and steps are being taken towards achieving that objective.

“Our goal is to host a Cricket World Cup and also for Sri Lanka to win another World Cup. We missed the opportunity of hosting a World Cup because of a bad presentation by certain people. If we had five grounds we could have held a Cricket World Cup in 2026 in Sri Lanka. We gave a proposal to build another ground in Diyagama in 2020 but it was squashed by a few people. Because of that SLC and the country lost the opportunity of hosting a World Cup.”

All the office-bearers were elected uncontested. The position of assistant treasurer remained vacant due to the withdrawal of the nomination, and an appointment will be made in due course, as per Article 7 (I) of the SLC constitution, an SLC media release stated.

SLC office bearers for 2023-25

President: Shammi Silva

Vice Presidents: Ravin Wickramaratne and Dr Jayantha Dharmadasa

Secretary: Mohan de Silva

Treasurer: Sujeeva Godaliyadda

Assistant Secretary: Chryshantha Kapuwatte

Assistant Treasurer: To be nominated.