Fitness Of Cricket Board In Question

by Nirmala Kannangara

Vice President Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and Head of Domestic Cricket, K. Mathivanan said that the long delay in finalizing the match fixing report was due to miscommunication between the committee members and the two sports clubs alleged to have been involved in the match fixing fiasco.

According to Mathivanan, the lawyers and the representatives of Kalutara Physical Culture Club and Panadura Sports Cub were not present at the last hearing date and the investigators led evidence in the absence of the two accused parties and an ex parte decision was taken.

“The written submissions have to be sent to the two accused clubs and the final report should be out within one or two weeks,” Mathivanan said.

However, SLC inside sources on condition of anonymity said that all are waiting to see what the report says and what action the administrators take against the wrongdoers or whether the investigators have not found any club guilty in the allegations.

“Kalutara Physical Culture Club and Panadura Sports Cub were accused of match fixing to bring Panadura Sports Club to win the championship and to elevate to ‘Tier A’ as Panadura SC comes under one of the SLC Executive Committee members.

Although Kalutara Physical Culture Club too comes under one of SLC office bearers but was in the bottom of the list, Panadura SC was ‘allowed’ to obtain more marks and become the Champions. Since SLC office bearers represent both clubs it is doubtful whether the inquiring panel, who are closer to a certain higher official at SLC, have found fault with these clubs,” sources alleged.

According to the sources, the venues have been changed the night before the matches started and the field settings have been carried purposely to enable the batting side to score more runs freely to win the matches.

When asked whether an impartial report could be expected as those who are personally known to certain higher SLC officials were appointed to hold an ‘impartial’ inquiry,

Mathivanan said that it is the Executive Committee’s final decision that is generally implemented. “Any one of us can recommend any name but finally it is the Executive Committee that decides whom to be appointed. That was why Chairman Disciplinary Committee SLC, Asela Rekawa, former DIG and one time national cricketer Jayantha Paranathala and Manager Security and Investigation SLC, Sarathchandra Liyanage were appointed to the inquiring panel,” Mathivanan said.

The reason why SLC’s Anti-Corruption Officer was not appointed to the inquiring committee according to Mathivanan was as there was no money involvement in the match fixing fiasco. “We know for certain that money was not involved in this alleged match fixing and that was why the Anti-Corruption Officer was not appointed to the committee. Has there was money involvement certainly the Executive Committee would have included this officer to the inquiring committee as well,” Mathivanan said.

Although SLC officials are of the view that the final report will not hold any of the members in both Panadura and Kalutara clubs for having involved in match fixing, Mathivanan said he is confident that the report will be unbiased.

Meanwhile Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara has come under severe criticism for going on public accusing the national team for not being fit enough after the team failed to qualify for the semi finals at the Champion Trophy held in UK.

“It is the national selectors that select the national squad and the final approval rest in the hands of the Sports Minister. If so why did the minister go on public accusing the players for their bad performances? The minister should have directly discussed the issue with the Cricket Board President and the Board members and with the selection committee whom he had appointed. If for reasons better known, if cricket is not functioning in a perfect manner in the country, the Sports Minister should hold the administrators who govern cricket responsible for the debacle before he points the finger at the national squad who had brought fame and money to the country,” sources added.

According to the sources, those who are at the helm should be mindful that when one finger is pointed against the national squad three fingers are towards their side.

“The money that had been generated through cricket is spent like their own by these officials. During the previous interim committee, SLC had healthy bank accounts whereas we are now going behind state banks to ask for loans amounting to millions of rupees. Minister Jayasekera applauded the Cricket Board when he was given a ‘healthy’ unaudited financial statement.

At the Annual General Meeting (AGM) that was held in May the Board disclosed that they have made Rs. 220 million which was subsequently corrected by the Secretary as Rs. 63 million. Within a span of few days it is alleged that the Cricket Board had sought a loan to a staggering Rs. 250 million from a state bank,” sources claimed.

Vice President Mathivanan meanwhile said that although there was a plan to obtain a loan the decision was later turned down as the Cricket Board is expecting funds from the International Cricket Council (ICC).

“By mistake we submitted an incorrect financial report to the Minister but later found out the figures given were much higher than that of the actual figure. It was the fault of the Accountant and that was why her contract was not renewed this time,” Mathivanan said.

However the sources said that it was not by mistake the fraudulent financial report was submitted but was done purposely to show that under the present administration, the Board had generated profits. “According to our sources at the accounts division, even accrued expenses too had been taken into account to show the ‘profits’ although certain officials were against this.

When the SLC officials started questioning how the Board could show a fraudulent figure in the financial report, the Secretary immediately corrected the figures,” sources claimed.

Meanwhile questions have been raised as to how the resolution was passed at the AGM to form the Assets Management Company.

“It seems SLC opens up new subsidiaries to manage its funds. Wonder if the minister himself knows the reason behind the formation of this Assets Management Company, when the board seems to be in the red. Once agains this company will be managed by the administrators. The Cricket Aid Company is yet another subsidiary of SLC where board funds have been utilized for its expenses.

Where have the funds collected by the Cricket Aid had gone? Had it come to SLC accounts or to another unknown account? Even the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) report said that it is illegal to use board funds to spend for tamashas in England in 2016 and in Australia this year,” sources added.

According to the sources, the way the Sports Minister is firm in looking into the fitness of the players in the Sri Lanka Cricket squad, it is high time for him to look into how lavish spending into several millions of rupees have been spent on tamashas by SLC.

“This is the money that should have been spent for the development of the game of cricket. When the T20 team was about to leave for T20 world cup, a huge sum of money was spent for the song for their sent off.

Similarly huge money had been spent before the domestic cricket tournament was started. If this money was spent for the development of youth and school cricket, the country could have produced quality cricketers to replace the present team once they go on retirement,” sources alleged.

The need of a sports medicine unit for cricket at SLC has now come up according to the sources, as the minister himself had admitted that in future cricketers would not be allowed to take part in matches unless their fitness is proved.

“It is good if the Sports Minister instruct the Cricket Board to  establish a sports medicine unit for cricket to ensure all players are fit enough physically and mentally rather than holding tamashas spending millions of cricket board money unnecessarily,” sources said.

The sources meanwhile said as to how a staggering Rs.54 million had been spent for beverage during last year’s Australian tour of Sri Lanka. “The Board claims that this was for the beverages given for the two team members, but it is questionable as to how such a big money was spent? This has to be investigated,” sources alleged.

Meanwhile it was reported that the Minister had directed the CEO to look into the usage of board vehicles and the expenses incurred.

“It would be noteworthy for the minister to look into how vehicles are misused by the officials who are on honorary capacity while some officials even using two vehicles for their personal usage which was reported before but no action was taken.

It was the same with the SLC staff. Although the Minister and the President SLC announced that the Cricket Board is over staffed and has to be scaled down, the staff had now doubled.

Those who were employed by SLC over the past several years were not given service extensions but recruited those who have voted and campaigned for the present Board during the election for higher salaries,” sources added.