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| Sunday, 21 September 2003 |
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Thilanga plans to make Sri Lanka the hub of Asian cricket by SRIAN OBEYESEKERE
The broadbasing of the governing arm of Sri Lankan cricket in incorporating it as a BOI venture. This is a massive foreign exchange earner exempt from tax as a non-profit making organisation, Sri Lanka cricket is based on a five-year plan of action by cricket chief, Thilanga Sumathipala, wko will make the island nation become the best among the best. In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Observer Sumathipala, whose recently elected administration took a giant leap forward in converting the governing arm from its long known definition as the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and Sri Lanka Cricket Incorporated (SLCI) outlining the work ahead said, "We have got a plan in international cricket, domestic cricket, infrastructure and development and finances. There are 3 to 5 areas where we are confident that we can drive a 5-year plan into action and to make sure that Sri Lanka is going to be the hub of Asian cricket and the Sri Lanka team the best in the world." The cricket boss stressed that he was confident of getting tax waived on Sri Lanka Cricket revenue under the Incorporation Act which non-profit making organisations are eligible to. "First of all you have to incorporate as an organisation which is eligible to tax benefits which we are doing", he explained adding that through Sri Lanka Cricket Incorporated its incorporation arm would have the opportunity of marketing 'their rights and making sure that they'll get the maximum returns." Sumathipala stressed that reaching that ambitious dream of the everest of cricket did not necessarily mean playing more cricket. "It is not only playing further. It is the recreation, the umpires, the administration, the coach, the players and how one gets about it. The crowds, the playing conditions and the whole gammut of infrastructure. It is not only looking at the dishing out of the game, but the whole overhaul". But, he said his administration faced the immediate constraint of the minus effects of Lankan cricket having gone down four years behind. "We are looking where we stopped 3 years ago. In fact since March 2001 nothing has happened development-wise including a massive financial boomerang which had the Board in dire straits. On the long drawn out issue between the local authorities and WSG Nimbus which has claimed damages for summarily terminating its 3-year telecasting rights entered into by his last administration but summarily terminated by the subsequent interim committee, Sumathipala said: "As far as Sri Lanka Cricket is concerned, we have certain legal standards that we have taken. So I don't want to discuss that openly. We are confident that we can solve it." (Q). Mutually ? (A). "Well, they have gone to arbitration." (Q). The Board had reportedly taken the stand that the Nimbus deal still stands ? (A). "It is like this. When we left before the dissolution, it is supposed to have been cancelled. So it's before the courts. So I don't want to discuss anything further about it than that. I mean if we had continued they had the opportunity of facilitating till 2003". (Q). Who will telecast the upcoming home England series ? (A). The English tour will be covered by somebody. That's for sure. (Q). Not Taj T.V. (A). We don't know yet. We are still in the process of finalising. As to the expectations from the commercial arm-Cricket Incorporated, he said: "When we are looking at 30 million dollars, the Board is going to spend at least 20 million dollars to the domestic industry, international venues, sports goods and various other expenses for the clubs and members playing cricket. But he stressed that all these were taxable at the moment which his administration hoped to have tax waived in recognising the importance of the role of cricket in generating a colossal amount of foreign exchange for the country. (Q). Is everything that comes through cricket is taxed like earnings and shares ? (A). The earnings and shares are taxable ? (Q). Even the players ? (A). The players have to pay individual tax locally. (Q). So you are confident of getting a waiver on incomes of the board ? (A). Yes, under the Incorporation we can get it waived. Good sign He said that his administration was confident that it could go to the world market and make some money through international television rights. "And we are also trying to push for the revival of the Asia Cup with India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to play and there again we can see some sort of revenue coming our way. We also intend holding a regular triangular tournament in Sri Lanka, so that we can raise some money every year which we are working on. So I can see with our future commitments, revenue will come our way". Sumathipala said that a good sign as to restaging the Asia Cup was because Sri Lanka had after a long period, been successful in getting junior cricket going involving India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. "The Emerging Trophy featuring India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Colombo in two weeks time is down the line. So that's the starting point. Hats off to India and Pakistan to play here". Q: So you think their border dispute won't effect the cricket? A: This Government has given the approval so far for Sri Lanka 'A', India 'A' and Pakistan 'A' plus the Emerging Trophy and under-19 tour. All these levels have been approved. So I'm confident all international sides will be able to play in time to come and hopefully we are planning to stage the Asia Cup by next April. He said that from Board to Board, Sri Lanka has a very good rapport enabling us to use our influence to support India and Pakistan. "We have told various authorities that it is important when it comes to the game of cricket to bring the two countries together. So I think it should pay dividends". Sumathipala said that there were pending legal suites against five local banks for continuing dealings with his previous administration and subsequent interim committees. "We filed action far back as 2001. That is before court. We can't discuss it", he added. To the question as to whether he intended to vie for the ICC Presidency, Sumathipala replied, "Lot of members, all the cricket fans, the general public want me. That shows the support I have from the membership. Most of the members are of the view that I'm the closest to get there. So I got that support and they feel that I'm the one who should be promoted for that post. I personally would love to get the opportunity one day to head the ICC. But I must say that is not the end of the world for everyone. I can't see anybody in the vicinity in close proximity who got any experience compared to what I have in the international arena. I count 9 years, heading the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). I'm a member of the ICC and its longest standing Executive among the Board of Directors I think internationally, I'm the most experienced for the job. However, he said that he could not see this happening in the near future and it could take time because currently the ICC was working on regions at such elections and 'now we have let it go after Asia to an outside region like Africa". |
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