Impose life bans on cricket officials demanding sexual bribes

The special committee appointed to investigate allegations of sexual harassment in Sri Lanka women's cricket team handed its report to Minister of Sports and Tourism Navin Dissanayake last week.

The three-member committee, headed by Retired Supreme Court Judge Nimal Dissanayake, toughly investigated on the allegations of sexual harassment in Sri Lanka women's cricket team and has found concreate evidence against the team management.

Public Trustee Tharangani Keenawinna Dissanayake and Director of Combined Services Ministry of Public Administration S. Aloka Bandara were the other members of the committee. They have done a tough task in obtaining evidence and making a thorough investigation into the matter.

It was in mid last year that the sex scandal initially rocked local cricket after media exposed the matter. The media reports made a stunning disclosure that that women players allegedly complained of sexual demands from certain selectors should be fulfilled if they were to be included in the national women's team.

The then Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage instructed Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to appoint a committee to probe on the allegations made by certain members of the Sri Lanka women's national team that certain national selectors were seeking sexual bribes. Some national women cricketers were required to perform sexual favours for officials, in order to step into the team or even to retain their places in the national side.

This is a serious case against some members of the team management/or selectors and maximum punishment should be given to those culprits who had either abused or attempted to molest the lasses in the national team.

It is encouraging to see the Sports Ministry intending to take disciplinary action against the guilty parties and had forwarded the recommendations of the committee to the interim committee of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).

It is understood that the committee has recommended strict disciplinary action against those who were found guilty. The Sports Ministry has given strict instructions to the SLC Interim Committee to follow the committee's recommendations in full.

Several officials of the women's cricket team have been found guilty of demanding sexual bribes from the lasses. The true characters of these men should be exposed and the committee report should be made public so that it would be an eye-opener to all and sins of this nature would never be committed again.

The duty of the team officials is to take good care of the team members both on and off the field during matches and training sessions. But that does not give them a license to do anything they like with the girls. True that they could try out everything that is related to the game and sharpening their skills but the officials are expected to maintain high discipline and conduct themselves in an exemplary manner.

How could these officials maintain discipline and earn self-respect if they demand sexual bribes from the lasses under them? This is an utter disgrace to Sri Lanka cricket and such officials should be taught an unforgettable lesson with life bans so that crimes of this nature would never be committed again.

This is not the first instance that sexual bribes have been demanded from women's cricketers. In most cases, the accused male officials had been found guilty.

However, a totally different case on sexual harassment in women's cricket was reported from Pakistan in October, 2013 when Pakistan cricket authorities banned five women cricketers for falsely accusing their male officials of sexual harassment. But a subsequent investigation ruled they lied about the allegations.

In June, 2013, five women cricketers from Pakistan's central Multan region accused their club chairman and a team selector of demanding sexual favours in return for their selection in the regional and national teams. The charges were initially made in a television show but the then chairman of Multan Cricket Club, Sultan Alam and his selector Mohammad Javed denied the allegations.

Seema Javed, a prominent club cricketer, alleged that 70-year-old Alam once came to her and asked her to convince another girl to give him favours. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) later set up an inquiry to look into the allegations which ruled that the five players be banned for six months and censured Multan cricket officials.

However, when questioned by the committee three of the five women, including Javed, categorically denied having been sexually harassed or having seen such harassment taking place while the other two women declined to present their case at the inquiry.

All three who were questioned were serving one penalty or ban for various offences and that had been the focus of their complaint.

However, sexual harassment in sport takes on unique dimensions because of the power relationships established with coaches/ officials and because of the necessary focus on sportswomen's bodies.

Even in Sri Lanka, most cases of sexual harassment in sport, be at school, club or national level, are not reported often due to various reasons. Some coaches capitalize on the extraordinary loyalty and respect maintained by the girls under them.

Recognition of sexual harassment in sport has been raised at the highest levels and even an International Olympic Committee (IOC) report had said that "sexual harassment and abuse happen in all sports and at all levels"!

According to the IOC report, prevalence appears to be higher in elite sport. Members of a sportswoman's entourage who are in positions of power and authority appear to be the primary perpetrators. Peer athletes have also been identified as perpetrators. Males are more often reported as perpetrators than females.

Researches on the subject have disclosed that sexual harassment and abuse in sport seriously and negatively impact on sports women's physical and psychological health. It can result in impaired performance and lead to athlete drop-out. Clinical data indicate that psychosomatic illnesses, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, self-harm and suicide are some of the serious health consequences.

Hence, laws on sexual harassment should be extended to apply to sporting activities, if not already covered through general non-discrimination laws or through employment, education, or goods and services legislation.

Laws on sexual harassment in sport should draw on the general principles for sexual harassment legislation, while taking special account of the varied environments in which women and girls participate in sport, the fact that sexual harassment can be perpetrated by coaches, other athletes, or other parties involved in supporting and training athletes and special power dynamics between athletes and coaches.

Hence, it is the duty of school and club officials to take adequate steps to protect girls taking part in sport. Schoolgirls should be educated on these matters and what actions they ought to take in case they are approached by their coaches or officials for friendships beyond the playing field.