EDITORIAL : THE DAILY MIRROR, SRILANKA

SLC bowled by party politics and fraud   The shocking news, that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had refused to issue ‘no objection certificates’ to the 12 Indian cricketers who had agreed to participate in the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) T20 cricket tournament had not only ‘surprised and hurt’ the severely cash-strapped Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) but also saddened and disappointed the millions of cricket fans in Sri Lanka. In the absence of some of the well known and popular cricketing talent from India, it appeared last week that the tournament might be a non-starter but SLC has decided to go ahead. The reason given by the BCCI for banning the Indian cricketers from taking part in the SLPL was that it was being conducted by a private company, the Singapore-based Somerset Entertainment Ventures Pvt. Ltd. But could this have been the only reason for the decision or could there have been other underlying factors which prompted the BCCI to announce a virtual boycott of the SLPL, from July 19 to August 4. Amid reports last week that top SLC officials will travel to India as announced by Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage to explain matters to Indian cricket board officials, the BCCI chief said the decision would not be changed and neither would it make any exceptions to the rule. In any event, the SLC officials did not go to India but are reported to have held a video conference with Indian cricket officials. Against this backdrop we found Minister Aluthgamage also last week denying an earlier front page news item headlined ‘Ministers no-ball two billion grant for SLC’. He said his request had not been rejected by the Cabinet but was under consideration. SLC once known to have been one of the richest institutions in Sri Lanka is now buffeted, riddled and hammered over the boundary lines with allegations of large scale fraud and corruption especially in the wake of the 2011 Cricket World Cup matches co-hosted by Sri Lanka. Readers will recall former Sports Minister C.B. Ratnayake telling local and foreign journalists, that SLC is the third most corrupt institution in Sri Lanka. But sadly his decision to clean up the mess was never carried out after he was compelled or coerced to reappoint the members whom he lambasted. Alas, he too was soon moved out of the sports ministry. Amid media reports that SLC had struggled to pay some 22 million rupees as salaries to its employees last month and with billions in unpaid bills, it was not surprising or unusual for Minister Aluthgamage to follow the usual pattern when confronted with such matters to say that SLC was financially sound but it is well known that SLC found some breathing space with a Treasury grant. But after all the big talk and empty rhetoric it did not take long for the minister to stretch out his begging bowl to the Cabinet with a plea for two billion rupees. Given the level of party politicisation and interference it will be a daunting task to pull SLC out of the financial mud hole it has got itself into. In the midst of all the confusion, double talk and secret agendas, millions of Sri Lankan cricket fans are anxious to know whether urgent remedial measures will be taken to help SLC regain its fast dwindling credibility, support base and financial resources.