Three-member probe committee very welcome
Football needs a major shake up:
 Minister
of Tourism and Sport Navin Dissanayake made it a priority to meet the
media where he came down hard on Sri Lanka Cricket.
At this meeting to a question that the International Cricket Council
and the International Olympic Council had made it known that there
should be no political interference in sport, the Minister played a
classic cover drive by saying that this government was keen to
investigate the numerous complaints of corruption.
A media release from the Minister said - as there is a new government
in place and allegations of corruption in many institutions abound, the
Minister has directed the Secretary of the Ministry Mr. Rafeek to employ
the services of a Sri Lanka audit firm to do a complete financial audit
and give the report to him in one month's time.
Three-member committee
The Minister also announced that he has appointed a three-member
committee headed by Dharmasena Dissanayake, a retired Secretary of the
Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs to investigate the
alleged irregularities that had occurred at the Sports and Tourism
Ministries.
The other members of the committee are Namasivayam Pathmanathan, a
retired Deputy Secretary of the Treasury and Ruzly Hussain, a Director
in the Public sector.
The Minister also announced that he hopes to appoint a one-man
committee to probe the allegations made by Sri Lanka's batting sensation
Kumar Sangakkara against the former Sports Minister Mahindananda
Aluthgamage and Sri Lanka Cricket Secretary Nishantha Ranatunga.
Clean up
So it will be seen that the youthful and energetic Minister is all
out to ensure that sports administration is clean and above board; that
we create the space for our sportsmen and sportswomen to get a fair deal
without political patronage.
Sport produced the first World Champion in cue ace M.J.M. Lafir who
was king of the green baize. It was a treat--a feast in fact-- to watch
him pot balls from all angles with consummate ease while his opponents
just sat with cue in hand watching the maestro at play.
The Minister's father Late Gamini Dissanayake did wonders for cricket
when he took over the Presidency of the Controlling Body and how he
faced the cunning wiles of the lords at Lord's and gave the game its
rightful place among the elite. He worked the miracle and helped Sri
Lanka achieve another milestone by winning the 1995/96 World Cup under
'Captain Cool' Arjuna Ranatunga by putting the game on the right pitch.
Add to father's laurels
How Navin will love to add to his father's legacy if Angelo Mathews'
squad wins the 2015 World Cup to be co-hosted by New Zealand and
Australia beginning on February 14 with Sri Lanka and New Zealand
heralding the start of the tournament.
At the first meeting with the media, Minister Navin made it known
that his first priority was cricket adding that sports like Athletics,
Football and Rugger would not be neglected.
Football badly needs support with the administration of the game in
tatters. It is commonly known as the poor man's game and while the
Football Federation boasts about doing wonders for the improvement of
the game, nothing seems to be happening because the FFSL is wasting
their energy on a mud slinging campaign.
Lankans lose to Malaysia
If this is not so how can one explain the defeat by 2 goals to nil of
the Sri Lanka team to an under-23 Malaysian team in the Bangabandu
tournament in Bangladesh.
From this defeat it is obvious and visible that nothing good has been
done to see that the game regains its former lost glory. The cawing that
wonders would be done to the players and the game was all eye wash. Not
so long ago the game that was on the up and up during the reign of the
previous regime, was shamed when Sri Lanka suffered a humiliating 11-nil
defeat at the feet of the Maldivian team.
Fans letting off steam
Incidentally with football fans letting off steam and voicing their
anger and demanding to know what led to the shameful defeat, the FFSL
made a big song and dance and appointed a committee to probe that
defeat.
The FFSL boasted that the findings of that committee would be made
public the moment it was completed. Now much water has flowed under the
bridge, and requests for the reasons for the defeat and the committee's
findings have still to see the light of the day. Obviously explosive
findings would have been revealed and the findings of that committee
were shelved. The reason for that football fans say was due to the FFSL
big bosses having political backing.
Out to clean all sports
Minister Navin Dissanayake would do well to ask for these findings to
be released so that corrective action can be taken including the
calamity that was the 11-nil defeat to Maldives.
With the recent liberation of Football from the stronghold of
political patronage, the Minister will be cheered if he tells the
Football Federation to spend their money, energy and time on giving new
life to the players and the game and stop going on witch hunts, washing
dirty linen and stop mud-slinging which is damaging the good name of
country.
News dribbles in to say that the Football Federation had promised to
pay the nation players 100,000 thousand rupees each, but did a sudden
u-turn and cut it down to 25,000 rupees.
But thanks to former President Hurley Silveira who did a job pleasing
to all when he was at the helm, he managed to score for the players and
up the payment to 50,000 thousand rupees.
FFSL's false promises
Shame on the FFSL for making big promises and then back tracking. The
majority of footballers come from poor homes who struggle to keep the
home fires burning.
The initially promised money would have been like winning a lottery.
The excuse will be made that the FFSL coffers are dwindling. If so why
promise.
When the players win a trophy with their sweat and toil, first on the
podium will be the officials, some of them not having played the game,
but sporting blazers as if they have played and greeting top visiting
dignitaries. But when it come to doling out to the players, they shy.
Why?
By the way enjoy life now. It has an expiry date on it.
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