• Spate of charges directed at ex-Gymnastics coach

The leader of the Janasetha Peramuna Ven. Battaramulle Seelarathana Thera on Tuesday (5) lodged a complaint with the Secretary of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports urging the latter to initiate a probe into several alleged acts of frauds linked to a former national gymnastics coach.

When contacted by The Daily Morning Sports, the outspoken monk stated that the Secretary of the said Ministry Aruna Bandara had assured him that a prompt inquiry would be conducted into the complaint lodged against the coach concerned.

Ven. Seelarathana Thera said that the ex-Gymnastics trainer while misusing his position had allegedly sought 50 per cent from winning purses of sportsperson and women along with the nutrition stipend provided by the Government.

Thera noted that the individual concerned had even allegedly mentally tortured certain gymnasts forcing them to give up the sport midway, while those who refuse to train under him personally had been shunned from competing overseas by changing cutoff marks intentionally.

The leader of the Janasetha Peramuna added that this gymnastics trainer while functioning as a public servant had even operated a private sports club in the process accruing revenue while forcing those in the national association to dance according to his tune.