Sports Minister Sacks SLC Board For Alleged 'Corruption & Mismanagement' Charges
Sri Lanka has faced back-to-back humiliating defeats vs India (x.com)
Sri Lanka's sports minister Roshan Ranasinghe has the national cricket board just days after the team's devastating loss to India at the World Cup 2023. This decisive action came amid ongoing conflicts with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), the island's wealthiest sports organisation, over allegations of 'corruption and mismanagement'.
Sri Lanka Cricket Board sacked in bid to revive past glory
The move follows Sri Lanka's shocking 302-run defeat against India, where they were bowled out for 55, marking the fourth-lowest total in World Cup history. The loss in Mumbai has led to widespread public outrage and protests, prompting police deployment outside the board's offices in Colombo.
Ranasinghe, who has been vocal about the need for the board's resignation, cited lack of moral and ethical grounds for their continued tenure. He accused SLC officials of being "traitorous and corrupt," highlighting the board's failure to uphold standards in Sri Lankan cricket. The sports minister's stance reflected the growing dissatisfaction with the board's handling of cricket affairs, especially since the country's historic World Cup victory in 1996.
The newly appointed interim committee, led by 1996 World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga, includes a retired supreme court judge and a former board president. This diverse panel aims to address the myriad issues plaguing Sri Lankan cricket, ranging from player discipline to financial misconduct and match-fixing allegations.
Ranasinghe's actions, while bold, have raised concerns regarding political interference in sports, a matter strictly regulated by the International Cricket Council (ICC). His previous attempt to appoint a three-member panel to investigate corruption within SLC was withdrawn following the ICC's intervention.
The ICC has yet to respond to this latest development, which sees the dismissal of an elected board led by president Shammi Silva, in his third consecutive term. The situation is complicated by Sri Lanka's dismal standing in the World Cup. Currently, they are seventh in the table, needing an unlikely combination of results to advance.
This upheaval comes amidst Sri Lanka's broader struggles with financial instability and political turmoil. In the meantime, Sri Lanka faces Bangladesh later today, with hopes of a miraculous turnaround in their World Cup campaign.
 "Jatin")
