• Says ready to talk directly on the issue
• Insists no timeline agreed with global body for elections 

Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee Chair Eran Wickramaratne says that the then Government should not have allowed the International Cricket Council (ICC) to suspend Sri Lanka’s membership over the dissolution of the Ex-Co of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in 2023.

He said no international sports governing body has a right to interfere arbitrarily with the laws of a free and sovereign nation, and maintained that therefore he does not condone the actions of the ICC three years ago. 

Wickramaratne was questioned specifically whether he believed the ICC had been wrong to suspend Sri Lanka Cricket in 2023.

This was after the then Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe intervened in the administration of the governing body over allegations of mismanagement of its funds and perceived corruption.

“I feel the ICC has no right to intervene with the laws and regulations of member countries,” he told the Ada Derana 360 programme on Monday (5).

“I felt the then Government should have taken the matter to the ICC, and then done their best to avoid that suspension. I firmly believe no global sporting body, can unduly intervene with the laws of a free and independent nation.”

He underscored his point stating that even today there were politicians in some ICC-member countries, holding onto portfolios and insisted that he was willing to speak directly on the issue.

The ICC suspended Sri Lanka in late 2023, declaring SLC was in serious breach of its obligations as a member, particularly the requirement to manage its affairs autonomously and ensure there was no political interference in its governance, regulation or administration.

He further questioned the International Cricket Council’s approach to political involvement in cricket administration of member nations, saying the global governing body must understand the circumstances behind Sri Lanka’s ongoing reforms.

The ex-lawmaker was asked whether provisions in the proposed new Sri Lanka Cricket Bill allowing the Sports Minister to intervene could be construed by the ICC as political intervention.

He stated that the proposed law clearly sets out and limits the circumstances under which such powers could be exercised.

He said the Minister already possesses powers under the prevalent system, but observed that the proposed legislation would establish a clearer procedure governing their use.

The SLC Transformation Committee head said the new structure should provide greater transparency over any future interference, and asserted that his committee was not doing its work hideously and welcomed any debate on the proposed Bill.

He said the ICC should accept a system in which the circumstances and procedures governing intervention are expressly set out in law.

Under provisions of the new proposed Bill, SLC would be required to submit an annual report to Parliament within six months of the end of each financial year, accompanied by the required financial documentation and an Auditor General’s report.

Wickramaratne said this would bring Sri Lanka Cricket under a stronger accountability framework, including annual auditing and accountability to Parliament.

The Transformation Committee boss was then drawn on their rapport with the ICC and the fact that it is not treated as an elected SLC administration for representation at ICC board level.

Wickramaratne said the ICC was expecting Sri Lanka to establish a proper constitution and subsequently appoint an administration under that new system, but remarked that there wasn’t a specific timeline agreed with the global body.

He said the Transformation Committee had been established because problems existed within Sri Lankan cricket and maintained that those serving on it had come forward to rectify those issues and added that it was time the ICC too understood that.