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. |