Sri Lanka Cricket appoints panel to probe allegations on team
The Sri Lanka Cricket board has appointed a 3-member panel to investigate allegations on the cricket team, including Danushka Gunathilaka, during their stay in Australia.
Sri Lanka Cricket said that a 3-member investigation panel consisting of Justice Sisira Ratnayake (Retired High Court Judge), Niroshana Perera, Attorney-at-Law, and Asela Rekawa, Attorney-at-Law, have been appointed to initiate an inquiry into the alleged incident involving player Danushka Gunathilaka.
The committee will also focus the inquiry on various alleged incidents that have come to the attention of Sri Lanka Cricket and that are said to have allegedly taken place during the national team’s stay in Australia.
The panel in this process will call for an immediate explanation from the Team Manager pertaining to his conduct, with references to the occurrence of such incidents.
Upon submission of the said report by the Panel, the Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket will take stern disciplinary action against the players and or officials if proved any wrongdoing or negligence when carrying out official duties.
Sri Lanka Cricket also condemned and rejected a tweet made by a senior sports journalist claiming that Sri Lanka Cricket was instructed to bear the legal costs in relation to the incident of Gunathilaka by a VVIP politician from the SLPP.
Sri Lanka Cricket categorically denied the veracity of the said tweet and emphasized that Sri Lanka Cricket has in no way been influenced by a “third party” in carrying out the obligatory actions required to be taken to allow Gunathilaka to pursue any legal rights available to him.
“Hence, we wish to state that the said tweet is baseless and has been written and published with malicious intent, damaging the goodwill and reputation of the SLC with the intention of spreading hatred among the public over the organization,” the Sri Lanka Cricket board said.
SLC also said that the SLC, in consultation with the Ministry of Sports and Youth, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the consular officials, has taken steps to pursue the legal rights of Danushka Gunathilaka as advised, and therefore, the matter is being handled professionally without any intervention from a third party. (Colombo Gazette)
