Its election time in local sports arena

March has turned out to be a busy month for officials of all National Sports Associations (NSAs) of the country as the National Sports Law makes it mandatory for all NSAs to hold their annual general meetings (AGMs) and the election of office bearers before March 31 every year, or every other year under the new regulations.

Hence, it’s the election time in Sri Lanka’s sports arena. With almost all NSAs bound to conduct their respective AGMSs and elect new sets of office bearers before the end of this month, many sports officials are busy with their ‘promotional work’. Cricket is the only exception this year as the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has been given time until the end of April to hold their AGM due to the ongoing ICC World Cup.

The elections in the local sports scene for 2015 becomes even more interesting with elections to the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOC), held once in four years, too due to take place once they sort out their constitutional crisis with the Ministry of Sports.

There are over fifty registered NSAs with the Ministry of Sports and all those bodies, except for a couple which are under interim administration, must hold their AGMs before the end of this month. A few NSAs have already conducted their elections but the big tussles are expected at some of the top controlling bodies such as cricket.

Amongst the NSAs of which elections are looked forward to with much interest among sports loving public are Sri Lanka Cricket, Athletic Association of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union and Football Federation of Sri Lanka. Especially, changes in the country’s political arena has inspired a new set of officials to step in while a few politically-backed big wigs in the past regime still make an effort to hold on their positions.

As usual, there is a mad rush and an ‘all out’ campaign amongst sports officials. Their election campaigns are in full swing, making the sports-loving public to wonder why some of these officials are making such a hard effort in their election campaigns to ‘serve’ our sports. But one can’t single out sports officials and blame them because it is the typical election culture experienced in sports controlling bodies in this part of the world.

Sri Lanka sport would have been on a much higher elevation by now if half of these officials had such genuine interest to promote their respective sports. They often give loads of promises and come out with fairytales before the AGMs. Lots of talk and false promises are made in a bid to seek office, but once they get elected, it is a totally different ball game altogether.

For some officials, a sport is business and a way of life. They make use of their good office to benefit from various means, be it financial or otherwise. Then there are a few who make use of the sports image to boost their personal business enterprises. There is another set of officials who would prefer to enjoy foreign tours and international events so that they could make the best use of the sports family hospitality, customary offered by the international and Asian controlling bodies.

Nevertheless, there are a few genuine gentlemen who perform an exemplary job as sports officials. They work tirelessly for the betterment and promotion of their respective organisations and sport, make use of their personal business affiliations to obtain sponsorships and help sportsmen and women. Unfortunately, such officials are rare in current sports administration though we had experienced plenty of them in the past.

Two or more sides contesting at an election is normal practice in a democratic world. But what frustrates everyone is to see even the officials who work in one group in the same executive committee, fighting amongst themselves during election time to grab posts. As in politics, there are no permanent friends or enemies in Sri Lanka sport administration. There have been enough examples in the past, even more at present and there would be no difference in the future.

Why are these officials fighting with each other to secure a top post? Certainly not for the best interest of sports! But for a better interest for themselves and enjoy indirect benefits.

The Sports Law prevents a person serving at a top post of a NSA for more than two successive terms, unless that person obtains special permission from the Sports Minister after the second term in office. But there had been instances where the officials bypass that rule and do a ‘merry-go-round’ - seeking a demotion to the post of Vice President after two years as President and then come back to the top seat a year later.

But the power of the people could beat all overwhelming odds. It’s the member clubs, controlling bodies, district associations and provincial bodies of those NSAs that will have the final say on who should govern their respective sport in the coming year.

They must make full use of their rights and use that vote for the best interest of Sri Lanka sport. We earnestly hope that they would vote wisely to elect a new set of genuine and honest sports officials who can make a worthwhile contribution.