SLC temporarily brought under Sri Lanka govt

COLOMBO: The running of Sri Lanka Cricket has temporarily been brought under the Sri Lankan government after a “Competent Authority” was appointed to oversee day-to-day affairs.

The move comes after the term of the present board, headed by Thilanga Sumathipala, ended on May 31, even as the election of a new governing body failed to materialise. The elections had been postponed due to procedural violations, with an injunction having been imposed by courts. The Competent Authority is headed by the secretary of Sri Lanka’s sports ministry, Kamal Padmasiri.

For the time being it is unclear how this will affect SLC’s standing in the eyes of the ICC, which in the past has not taken kindly to government interference in cricketing affairs. In 2015, when the government had appointed an interim committee, SLC had had its ICC voting rights suspended, while payments due to SLC were also held in escrow.

However despite pleas by Sumathipala for an extension so as to allow him and his officials to continue in their posts till elections are held, Sri Lanka’s sports minister Faiszer Mustapha maintained this was the only decision available to him given the circumstances.