Courtesy The Daily Mirror

COLOMBO (Daily Mirror) – The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) rebuked Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) for following weak processes in performing its activities.

It was highlighted that these weak processes had led to the current crisis in cricket.

COPE Chairman Ranjith Bandara made this observation after SLC was probed by the committee. 

MP Bandara made this declaration several times during the probe.

It was revealed that SLC officials have visited Australia to view the T20 World Cup matches without proper approval by the Minister in charge of sports. It was revealed by COPE Member Dayasiri Jayasekera during the meeting that the Ministry secretary has no right to approve the SLC officials visit to Australia.

Accordingly, it was decided to call former Secretary of Sports Amal Harsha de Silva before the COPE as the approval had been given by him.

SLC Chairman Shammi Silva accepted that some persons who were taken on the Australian tour were not his relatives.

SLC also accepted that a senior DIG was appointed as an advisor but no payments had been made. 

We did hire a DIG but we did not make any payments to him as he declined the offer,” the SLC Chairman said. 

However MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the situation is questionable as the DIG has declined the offer after a payment had been made.

The performance of the medical panel which attends to players was also questioned by COPE member Jayasekera who said injury of one player had been persistent for seven years and the panel had failed to attend to it. He then wanted chairman of the Selection Committee Promodaya Wickremesinghe to comment on the matter.

Wickramasinghe therefore accepted that injuries suffered by the players had led to the recent debacle at the World Cup this year. 

We have experts in various spheres of medicine in our medical panel,” SLC CEO Ashley de Silva replied.

COPE will summon SLC for three more days for a continuous probe starting from November 24 2023.