The International Cricket Council (ICC) has categorically refused to satisfy a three-member Sports Coordination Committee in Cricket appointed by Sri Lanka’s Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe.
The Minister’s latest transfer is seen as one more try to creep into cricket administration by way of the committee that has been set as much as deal with the worldwide affairs of the nation’s richest sports activities physique.
The staff consists of revered former Sri Lanka cricketer Sidath Wettimuny, former Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Upali Dharmadasa and Rakitha Rajapakshe, son of Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe.
They anticipated to “monitor, communicate and coordinate with international and national cricket councils, federations and institutes to safeguard the development, independence and transparency of cricket in Sri Lanka and also to advice the Hon. Minister”.
After establishing the physique on Tuesday, the Minister notified the ICC of the latest improvement and requested a gathering for them with ICC Chair Greg Barclay. The ICC has, nevertheless, shot down the request and reiterated the necessity for SLC to control its affairs autonomously, with none Government interference.
“The ICC’s point of contact for all issues relating to cricket in Sri Lanka will be Sri Lanka Cricket,” mentioned the letter signed by Geoff Allardice, ICC Chief Executive, addressed to Minister Ranasinghe on Friday.
“So the ICC Chair and/or CEO will not be meeting with your International Sports Coordination Committee in Cricket without the endorsement of Sri Lanka Cricket, and no such endorsement has been given,” he maintained.
“As I stated in my letter to you of 11 April, the ICC expects Sri Lanka Cricket to manage its affairs autonomously and ensure that there is no Government (or other public or quasi-public body) interference in its governance, regulation and/or administration of cricket,” he continues.
Under the ICC’s guidelines, member boards are required to function independently of Government interference, with the ultimate purpose of defending the integrity of the sport. Like most worldwide sports activities our bodies, ICC calls for full independence of its member associations while respecting home legal guidelines.
The Sports Minister and SLC have been at loggerheads ever since Sri Lanka shifted the Asia Cup to Dubai (while retaining internet hosting rights) final 12 months. He has brazenly criticised SLC over its dealing with of funds and the dearth of transparency in its administration. SLC has, nevertheless, withstood the strain.
Sri Lanka’s present Sports Law permits the Sports Minister dissolve all registered nationwide sports activities our bodies and put them underneath interim administration.
Following repeated complaints from SLC over political interference, the ICC appointed a three-member committee headed by Jay Shah, the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Others on the committee are Usman Khwaja, the Deputy Chair of the ICC, and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Nazmul Hassan.
In May, Khwaja held talks with high Government officers, together with President Ranil Wickremasinghe and Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe throughout his two-day fact-finding mission on alleged political interference in cricket administration. He additionally met with SLC officers and a few of former directors.
In April, the Minister arrange a five-member Technical Consultative Committee headed by Sanath Jayasuriya to advise the Minister of Sports, Ministry officers, and the National Sports Council on all issues regarding cricket in Sri Lanka.
After Sri Lanka made a first-round exit on the World Cup a couple of months after lifting the Asia Cup, the Sports Minister appointed a committee to inquire into alleged incidents that occurred in the course of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022. The committee made a lot of suggestions together with the suspension of SLC’s registration and a whole audit. The audit, which was lately introduced to the Parliament, has highlighted numerous monetary and procedural irregularities and had advisable to institute authorized motion towards these accountable.
Last 12 months, Minister Ranasinghe additionally launched a number of new laws putting time period limits and age limits, compromising the autonomy and independence of nationwide sports activities our bodies, together with SLC.
(sundaytimes.lk)
