Sujan Rao
“President Maithripala Sirisena could come and contest these elections and he would still lose!” remarked Arjuna Ranatunga, after he failed to muster enough support to win one of the two vice president positions. “You can never win an SLC election as long as these same people are there.”
On the other hand, the Board’s voting system is so heavily skewed in Sumathipala’s favour, causing experts to repeatedly call for a complete overhaul to make it free and fair. After all, SLC has 147 votes, the highest in the world, and each vote has a price tag on it.
Given the certainty of the outcome, many question why the authorities bother with elections until, and unless, the SLC constitution is overhauled to bring about a level playing field. But successive administrations have not addressed this as it would compromise their own survival in the system.
The Sports Minister has vowed to introduce a new constitution through Parliament. Whether this would be accepted by the SLC membership is anybody’s guess. But the longer these necessary changes are delayed, the higher the chance of a further deterioration in the game.
The series of events in the run-up to the election had one clear winner emerging. That was Shammi Silva, who became President by beating Dharmadasa handsomely. And with Sumathipala coming into the Executive Committee by virtue of being the immediate past President, it is all but clear that Sumathipala will be pulling the strings.
Irrespective of who comes from two camps it’s a disappointing result. None of them are coming to help cricket or cricketers but themselves. If we are to bring people who love sport to come into power such as Sidath, Roshan etc, we need to change the constitution to have a maximum one or two terms as office bearers in any position in cricket administration. Thilanga and company is a virus so is Nishantha Ranathunga and company. Sri Lanka cricket is suffering from these parasites. They are sucking the life out of cricket and loving fans. I am in a way happy thilanga camp won, the only reason being, had Ranathubgas come, it would have been difficult for Hathurusinghe to work with them due old grudges. So until things change we Lankans will have to suck it up to these parasite blood suckers.
Yes 1000% agree. Have to remove all these bad characters from SLC. The election happened at a bad time and Harin should have stopped it no matter what the cost to fox the SLC constitution and also sports law and then held election. There must be a regulation to not allow previous board members from serving more than one term. Shammi’s hands are not clean and he and Ravin will trip up soon. Prison terms for the corrupt and do it fast!
@Tiger Sap – hit the nail on the head, absolutely spot on. We cannot keep going on like this. The country, the players, the fans and most of all the game, deserves better than what SLC keeps serving up at administration. It’s time to change the constitution with limitations on office bearers and the starting point is, we cannot keep having thieves running a lucrative international game.