- Minister’s inaction intensifies turmoil
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is on the brink of suspending Sri Lanka’s membership or that of the National Olympic Committee (NOC), over its failure to implement the recommendations of its Ethics Committee, linked to its General Secretary Maxwell de Silva. This has been learnt via reliable sources by The Daily Morning Sports.
The long-standing NOC official has been implicated in a wide array of irregularities, with the Ethics Committee’s report based on the finding of a three-member probe team commissioned by former Minister Harin Fernando.
The NOC finds itself in deep turmoil, which has been exacerbated by serious allegations of corruption, governance failures and overt manipulation.
At the centre of the controversy is long-serving official de Silva, whose tenure has been blighted with ethical breaches, accusations of financial misconduct and growing demands for his immediate ouster by the IOC, Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the NOCs Ethics Committee.
Nonetheless critics point out that the NOCs General Secretary, continues to cling to his cherished post, in the process placing the future of local sports and its players at significant risk.
According to observers, the failure on the part of the Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage, to engage constructively with the officials of the NOC and overcome a potential suspension of its membership by the IOC, defies belief.
Informed sources revealed that the minister concerned, has been by and large misled of the ongoing crisis of the NOC, due to influence wielded by a few powerful officials within the latter body.
However, it goes without saying that Minister Gamage, will need to take cognisance of this situation fast, as any ban of the country’s membership by the Switzerland-based world body, will indelibly tarnish both his and his Government’s image, if it occurs during their watch.
It must also be noted that in the event of the NOC crisis lasting into next month and beyond it could leave thousands of athletes in dire straits and ruin the nation’s reputation in the sporting world.
This is because if a full-scale IOC suspension comes into effect, not only sports associations but scores of athletes could be barred from international competitions.
The IOC has previously acted on its warnings, having suspended influential figures in Kuwait and if such actions could be taken against wealthier countries, for them Sri Lanka will not be an exception.
Therefore the ball is in the court of the minister and the Government at this critical stage.
Either they will need to promptly enforce the national sports law by taking requisite measures to hold those responsible to account or risk presiding over a total breakdown of the country’s global sporting credibility.
Efforts made to contact either the General Secretary of the NOC or the subject Minister to seek their views over the issue drew a blank.