Officials hold office for personal glory
PAVILION VIEW By Leslie Fernando
The Ministry of Sports is studying the possibilities of holding
annual general meetings of dissolved National Sports Associations now
under the Interim Committees said Sirisena Liyanagama the Secretary to
the Ministry of Sports.
According to Liyanagama, there are 56 National Sports Associations
registered with the Sports Ministry and 36 are functioning. Seven
National Sports Associations have been dissolved and Interim Committees
has been appointed to manage the affairs.
Sri Lanka Hockey Federation, Wrestling Federation of Sri Lanka, Sri
Lanka Cricket, Sri Lanka Taekwondo Association, Sri Lanka Kabaddi
Federation, Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union and Wushu Federation of Sri
Lanka are being managed by the Interim Committees appointed by the
Sports Minister.
Meanwhile three national associations; Sri Lanka Squash Federation,
Table Tennis Association of Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka Karate do Federation
are faced with the allegations of violating rules and regulations of the
Sports Law. They also face court charges.
Liyanagama added that there should be honest and hardworking
officials who should be elected for various national sports associations
to run the affairs in a clean and smooth manner. But what is happening
at present is that most of the officials hold office for personal glory
to gain financial benefits and make trips abroad.
AGMs compulsory
The opinion of Sanath Weerasooriya, Director Sports and Recreation of
the Colombo Municipal Council is that the Ministry of Sports should make
it compulsory for associations to hold annual general meetings of those
National Sports Associations of Sri Lanka which are managed by the
Interim Committees appointed by the Ministry of Sports.
Weerasooriya who is also the Secretary, Standing Committee on
Recreation and Sports of the Colombo Municipal Council feels that there
should be a complete clean-up of some of the National Sports
Associations of Sri Lanka and some knowledgeable people should be
brought in so that the particular sport will be able to function
smoothly.
He also emphasized that the annual general meetings of some of the
National Sports Associations which are managed by the Interim Committees
should be held soon.
Furthermore, the officials to be elected should have a good knowledge
in promoting the sport and should also posses a good knowledge of the
particular sport.
If the Sports Minister feels that the Interim Committees appointed by
the Sports Ministry to manage the affairs of Sports National
Associations of Sri Lanka are working effectively then they could
continue to promote and look after the progress of the sports added
Weerasooriya who is also the President of three cricket clubs - Colpetty
Playground CC, Peterson Playground CC and Muthuwella Playground CC.
Interim Committees violate rules
P. A. Karunaratne, a former Mr. Ceylon and National Weightlifting
champion said that the Interim Committees appointed by the Sports
Ministry for several National Sports Associations of Sri Lanka should be
dissolved and annual general meetings must be held.
There should be some changes as Interim Committees have been
functioning for more than two to three years.
Karu who has held several key posts in the Sri Lanka Physical Culture
Federation and the Sri Lanka Amateur Weightlifting Association said that
Interim Committee do not take any responsibility. This is a grave
situation as they violate rules and regulations. It is upto the Sports
Minister to intervene at this critical stage.
Karu who is an ardent cricket fan said that cricket is the much
talked about subject these days. Gone are the days where there were
efficient officials like late Robert Senanayake, Gamini Dissanayake, Dr.
N. M. Perera to name a few, who held the high post and did honest and
yeomon service for the game.
It is a well-known fact that cricket now has become a business after
Sri Lanka won the World Cup in 1996.
There are many people who are craving to hold positions in Sri Lanka
Cricket administration to gain financial benefits.
Personal glory
Many associations had officials in the past who did a honest job work
for the benefit of the sport. But now all this has changed. But the aim
of present day officials aim is to hold positions in National Sports
Associations for personal glory and financial benefits and trips abroad.
This was what Olivia Gamage who held the high office of the
Directress of Sport Ministry of Education and Higher Education had to
say when she spoke of sports in Sri Lanka.
Olivia said that all interim committees should be dissolved and fresh
elections should be held by the Ministry of Sports.
The interim committees were appointed to seven National Sports
Associations by the Sports Ministry as those National Sports
Associations were not going on the correct path.
But what has happened today is that the officials in the Interim
Committees are not performing their duties some of the newcomers are
even worse than the previous officials added Mrs. Gamage, who was also
the President of the Sri Lanka Schools Sports Council.
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