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| Sunday, 14 August 2005 |
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Straight talk by Lal Gunesekara Liquor brought into stadium VIP room by Organising Committee member When the agreement was signed for the Rangiri Dambulu International Cricket Stadium between the then Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) and the temple authorities (the land belongs to the Rangiri Dambulu Raja Maha Vihare), one particular clause states that liquor is banned (repeat banned inside the stadium. However, it was sad to see liquor inside the VIP room of the pavilion during dinner in between the innings of the game between Sri Lanka and India in the Indian Oil Cup Triangular on July 30. Top ranking officials of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and other "invitees" were seen "quenching their thirst". Who was responsible and who permitted this? The funny part of the entire episode was that the liquor was brought into the VIP room by none-other than a member of the Tour Organising Committee of SLC from the boot of his car! What will the Buddhist priests of the Rangiri Dambulu Raja Maha Vihare have to say if only they knew about the liquor been smuggled in? Yet on Dambulla, who were the VIP's present? The enclosure meant for them were full, and by whom? They were all friends of the members of SLC's Interim Committee and of various others in committees. No dress code too was observed, unlike the past. I also understand that Sanjay Manjrekar, who was one of the commentators for Ten Sports, found both exit doors locked by stadium security officers on instructions received. He was involved in the "special presentation" area during one of the games and was forced to break down a door to get out. Not Interim Committee please! Taj Television who were telecasting the recent One-Day Triangular had been told not to mention anything about any Interim Committee, but to say that its SLC during the awards presentation. The funny part is that Jayantha Dharmadasa, who heads the Interim Committee, in his message to the official souvenir, describes himself as "Chairman of SLC." Wiped out The board room of SLC at Maitland Place has on their wall a list of the office-bearers. But since the Interim Committee was appointed in March this year, their names been "wiped off" and instead, the names of the Interim Committee appointees are listed. How come? How petty minded some people can be!! Do they think that they will be "there" forever? Favoured spectators Hundreds of spectators who had tickets for the final of the Indian Oil Cup Triangular between Sri Lanka and India at the Premadasa Stadium were not permitted entrance, but Police personnel were seen allowing their "catchers" who were without tickets, inside the grounds. Thousands of cricket lovers who were outside (with tickets and trying to get tickets) were baton charged. Why and who was responsible? TC pressurised The Tournament Committee of SLC has been advised by the Cricket Committee to play the Plate matches of the Premier Championship, Sara Trophy and the Limited-Over tournaments that were stopped due to the Boxing Day tsunami that struck the country. I understand that a President of a certain club from Badulla with clout in the Interim Committee is bringing pressure to bear on the Cricket Committee to play these tournaments. The reason is that this club were in the quarter-finals of the Sara Trophy and stood a good chance of qualifying to play in the higher league. The Tournament Committee has turned down the request from the Cricket Committee, as most of the players have now changed clubs for this season (2005-06) and that their (CC's) advice is not practicable. Another charge on HU Over the years, several allegations have been levelled against the Director of the Sugathadasa National Sports Complex Authority (SNSCA), Cmdr (rtd) H. U. Silva, who is also the powerful Secretary of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Sri Lanka, but to no avail. The latest such allegation is that a sum of Rs. 25,000 has been paid for by the Sugathadasa National Sports Complex Trust Fund on August 28, 1998 to the Postgraduate Institute of Management of the University of Sri Jayawardenapura for this controversial personality to attend a course for a postgraduate Diploma in Management (Public Sector/Provincial Governance). The Ministry of Samurdhi, Youth Affairs and Sports then under S. B. Dissanayake had approved this payment at Cmdr Silva's request. Leave alone obtain his Diploma, he has not even completed the course and it's nw nearly seven years. Surely, The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports now under Jeewan Kumaratunga and the SNSCA has the right to ask Cmdr Silva about this Diploma course and whether he has completed it or not. After all, it was paid for by public funds. Both Minister Kumaratunga and his good buddy, the Chairman of the SNSCA, Gamini Netticumara, who heads the Salaka Group of companies, must probe the affairs of Cmdr Silva even now. It's never too late. Independent my foot! National selectors must be independent from the sport they represent. They are appointed by the Minister and are answerable only to him, and must keep a distance from controlling bodies. However, a Chairman of a Selection Committee representing a racquet sport, though otherwise. He felt it o'kay to accept the post of manager offered to him to accompany a one-man team to a tournament in the western world. How come? It was wrong on the controlling body themselves to even think of asking a selector to go overseas as a team official. Anyway, this did not materialise as this selector "pulled out" at the last moment, citing his "inability to obtain leave" from his employer. I wonder whether he got cold feet at the final moment? Minister Kumaratunga must lay down the rules and insist that national selectors be independent and not accept any perks like a trip overseas offered by controlling bodies and even mobile phones and petrol allowances which could be construed as a bribe. Match fixing? Allegations of match fixing has new surfaced at junior level. It is said that at an under-15 (division II) second-round game recently between a Galle school and Kegalle side, the former needed to win outright to move into the quarter-finals and that the latter had purposely "thrown away" their wickets to allow their opponents to win outright. However, the Principal of the Galle school denies the allegation. Not enough The one month suspension imposed by the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) on CH & FC hooker Achala Perera and CR & FC hooker Anjula Perera after the brawls at their Caltex League Rugby Championship match at Longden Place last Saturday (August 6) should have been more severe. CH's Danushka Perera (flanker) was suspended for just two weeks. They were guilty not only of throwing their fists around, but the CH "striker" even after been sent into 'Sin Bin' thought it fit to get out of his seat and start hitting the opposition players. The national selector who was seen and heard abusing the referee from his seat in the pavilion too must be penalised. This I leave in the hands of the chief selector, Dr. Maiya Gunasekera. |
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