After Champions Trophy debacle in India

Rs. 3.5 million reception for our cricketers

By Lal Gunesekera

CRICKET: Many past stalwarts of the game and past administrators are aghast at the thumping sum of Rs 3.5 million being spent by the Interim Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to felicitate the Sri Lanka cricketers at a grand reception to be held today (Sunday) at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel.

A former stalwart and administrator, Abu Fuard, says that 2 1/2 years back, Mohan de Silva's administration was "thrown out" due to "financial mismanagement" - an allegation that has not yet been proved by the authorities.

Fuard told the Sunday Observer that before the Interim Committee was appointed, Sri Lanka, were rated second in the ODI's and fourth in Tests, but "where do we stand now" to warrant such a grandoise reception, the present Interim Committee suffered a loss of Rs 1200 million on the recent cancellation of the Tr-Nation tournament (Sri Lanka, India and South Africa). Despite all this and many other "losses", the Interim Committee thinks its wise to hold such a reception costing Rs 3.5 million for 400 invitees.

A former President of SLC, Mohan de Silva, was of the same opinion and raised the question as to why the authorities are "keeping quiet" on such instances of fund mismanagement and whether it is very important event to invite 400 guests for this type of function, but felicitate only skipper Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga for their feats in a more simple and fitting manner.

Michael de Zoysa was another outspoken critic of not only this gala reception, but the manner in which the Interim Committee headed by Jayantha Dharmadasa is "carrying on regardless" despite various accusations made against it and the appeals made to President Mahinda Rajapakse and Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Jeevan Kumaratunga. He also says that the Interim Committee are providing free lunches to its staff of over 100 persons which is coasting over Rs 4 million per year when the money could have been put into better use.

However, the Secretary of the Interim Committee of SLC, K. Mathivanan, says that they must honour the players who bring glory to the country and that this sort of recognition will motivate the players further.

We leave it to our readers to make a judgement.

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