I will never contest an SLC AGM, says Arjuna

By Jatila KARAWITA

Former Sri Lanka cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga, who headed the Interim Committee which was dissolved by Minister of Sports and Public Recreation Gamini Lokuge last week, vowed that he will never contest an Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).

He termed elections at SLC as being rife with mafia style warfare. Ranatunga, who urged the media to wait till Tuesday (Dec 30), till he reveals his side of the story on the Former Interim Committee’s dissolution by Minister Lokuge, maintained that as he had categorically stated in the past that he will never contest elections, that he would prefer to stick to his word come hell or high water.

“I have clearly said that I do not want to contest elections at the Cricket Board” the 1996 World Cup-winning skipper said.

“The elections are contested by mafia members and I do not want to be associated with such shady characters.”

Ranatunga’s Interim Committee which was installed barely an year ago, was removed from office by the Minister of Sports, on grounds of failure to resolve several burning issues at the heart of which were, the controversial Ten Sports television deal, the inability to attract sponsors to the national team, the frosty relationship with the media and the one that broke the camels back, the termination of the contracts of 16 SLC employees etc.

Sports Ministry Secretary S. Liyanagama has been appointed as the Competent Authority to oversee day-to-day functions of SLC by Minister Gamini Lokuge.