• Ex-bodybuilder banished until 2035

Colombo District Court Judge G.L. Kannangara on 18 February declined to impose an interim injunction on the Sri Lanka Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (SLBFF) as sought by its now-suspended former National Consultant and one-time medal-winning bodybuilder Niranjan Kumara.

The athlete was imposed a 10-year ban by the sport’s domestic governing body last June after finding him guilty of seven charges out of eight while violating provisions of the SLBFF Constitution and committing several other financial and administrative irregularities.

The suspension on the former athlete had been imposed from 17 January 2025 to 16 January 2035.

Among the charges filed against Kumara had been criticism of the provisions of the Constitution of the federation through social media platforms and failure to brief the federation over the expenditure of a sum Rs. 550,000 provided by the federation for the Mr. Novice Championship.

The former bodybuilder had also been found guilty of posting insulting remarks about SLBFF officials through Facebook and representing a fake bodybuilding association while forcing an athlete found to have violated its disciplinary code to take part at an event.

The SLBFF had also found the former national bodybuilding consultant guilty of taking underhand measures to publicise a bogus bodybuilding federation while being in direct violation of the institution’s Constitution.    

The former champion bodybuilder had subsequently petitioned the Colombo District Court to overturn the ban imposed on him by the SLBFF in June last year.

However, announcing its decision on the case last month, the court stated that the petitioner had failed to submit sufficient submissions or proof to warrant it to rescind the interim injunction slapped on Kumara by the federation and thereby grant relief as sought by him. 

The court’s decision as announced on 18 February enables the SLBFF’s decade-long ban on Kumara to be effective from the day it was imposed on him.

However, it was not immediately clear whether the petitioner concerned planned to file an appeal to the higher courts seeking relief over his suspension by the SLBFF. 

(JK)