Sports Minister appoints committee to look into allegations

Dinesh WEERAWANSA reporting from England

LONDON, Aug. 4 - Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage said he will appoint a committee to probe allegations that a large number of officials have come to the British capital with the Sri Lanka contingent.

In a telephone interview from Colombo, Minister Aluthgamage denied media reports that a large number of officials are touring London with the Sri Lanka team. “There is no truth in those allegations. I have approved the names of only seven people to go with the Sri Lanka contingent as officials, on the recommendations of the National Olympic Committee. However, I will appoint a special committee to investigate those allegations,” the Minister said.The Ministry of Sports, issuing a media release last evening, denied allegations levelled by several media organisations (not in ANCL newspapers) that 23 officials are accompanying seven competitors from Sri Lanka for the 2012 London Games. “The Ministry of Sports has granted approval for nine officials to represent the London Olympic Games,” the news release said.

“According to a letter dated 11.07.2012 ‘NOC/3/56’ under the signature of the Secretary of the National Olympic Committee, Maxwell De Silva, seven sportsmen and women in addition to nine officials were given approval to participate at the London Olympic Games.

The selection of the sports personnel and the officials for the Olympic Games was handled by the National Olympic Committee,” the Ministry said.

The Ministry said that only Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Director General of the Department of Sports Development, Ranjani Jayakody and Director General of the Institute of Sports Medicine Prof. Arjuna de Silva represented the Ministry of Sports at the Games, in addition to the 16-member contingent comprising seven competitors and nine officials.