Friday Nov 15, 2024
Friday Nov 15, 2024
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SLC Secretary Mohan de Silva
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With the incumbent office bearers due to be elected uncontested for a two-year term at today’s Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) elections, Secretary Mohan de Silva came down hard on those who had tried to ridicule the cricket administration during their tenure of office.
“In 2016, when Thilanga Sumathipala was elected President, the finances of Sri Lanka Cricket were down to the ground, we were in the red for more than Rs. 4 billion,” said de Silva. “The hotels didn’t want to give us rooms for inbound tours, and the ICC was paying the contract fees of the cricketers directly to their accounts and not to SLC.
“We owed Rs. 600 million as monies to the State Engineering Corporation for constructing the stadiums at Sooriyawewa and the R. Premadasa. Within two years we were able to settle all those debts and also record a surplus of Rs. 2 billion. Whatever said and done in 2018, Sumathipala gave leadership to the administration.
“From 2018, we started making money until the stakeholders were starving. They were just given the bare tournament fees, no contract for players. Then we started developing the infrastructure, our main goal was to improve outstation cricket. We had a five-year business plan with a lot of development work but we didn’t have any coaches. But unfortunately the game suffered not only because of bad administration but the political interference by the last regime,” he said.
“We had a vision, we brought the Asian Cricket Council headquarters to Sri Lanka, but Faiszer Mustapha (former Sports Minister) came and installed the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit office here. These were all done with ulterior motives to ridicule us. What are the findings of the ICC for the past four years? We were even labelled as the most corrupt cricket board in the whole world. The last Sports Minister even went on air to say that.”
On the surprise withdrawal of their main opponents in the run for the elections – K. Mathivanan, Nishantha Ranatunga and Bandula Warnapura – de Silva stated: “We knew right from the beginning they were trying various tricks to disqualify us because they knew that they had no chance. We knew we were strong, they were trying various things to get us technically knocked out. All this adverse media publicity was orchestrated by their group.”
Questioned why the stakeholders had so much confidence to vote them into office for a second term, de Silva said: “The stakeholders have confidence in us mainly because we resurrected SLC from 2016 and we also naturally looked after them. We have increased their participation fees and improved their infrastructure facilities.
“These are what our opponents refer to as vote buying. There were some remarks made at the COPE meetings as well. We have been donating rollers to the clubs that have grounds and also to 19 schools. Do the schools have any voting rights?”
De Silva said that once they are officially elected today their main priority would be to build up the national cricket team.
“We are very happy with what the Sports Minister has done in appointing this cricket advisory committee where some of the legends are involved and working hard, hand in hand, with SLC. We are also very confident that there won’t be any political interference with the elections. That is one good thing. With the advice of the cricket advisory committee we will prioritise our development work and work with them on a planned program.”
On the current player dispute with regard to their contracts, De Silva said that once they come into office they would look into the matter.
“The players have been discussing with the Management Committee, we will have a look at what has been offered to them and try to negotiate with them and do justice to them,” said De Silva. “We must have a professional system in place and the player has a right to know. We should have a heart to heart chat individually with them. It is not proper for the Management Committee to finalise the player contracts.”
Today’s elections will be conducted on Zoom with the following persons due to be elected to office uncontested for the year 2021-23:
The Assistant Treasurer’s post is the only post that has changed with Sujeeva Godaliyadda replacing Lalith Rambukwella.
The following committees will also be elected from the floor of the house: Umpires Committee (five members), Tournament Committee (five), Schools Cricket Development Committee (four), and Executive Committee (19).
(ST)
