BCCSL Elections: Sumathipala alleges Sri Lanka's image tarnished (31 March 1999)

31 March 1999

BCCSL Elections: Sumathipala alleges Sri Lanka's image tarnished

Sa'adi Thawfeeq

The Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) with its international image tarnished by the events and circumstances under which the 51st annual general general meeting was conducted on Sunday was looking for reasons to keep its name in the clear.

"We must establish the real facts which led to these unsavoury incidents because from all over the world, from the ICC (International Cricket Council) and from the ACC (Asian Cricket Council), people are writing to me and asking me 'what's happening to Sri Lanka cricket'," said re-elected president Thilanga Sumathipala at a press conference held the Cricket Board headquarters yesterday.

"I am very disturbed that people are trying to accuse me and my committee of conducting an illegal and unprecedented election. I have got elected through my general membership to serve in the board. I have never done anything illegal to get myself elected," said Sumathipala.

"What happened on Sunday was not our fault. We haven't done anything wrong. There were external sources involved of which the President of the country nor the Sports Minister are aware of. There are people who are using the powers without the knowledge of the superiors," said Sumathipala.

"We have evidence by photographs and videos to show who was responsible. We will show it at the correct forum and deal with it," he said.

Sumathipala said that the Cricket Board would inform the President of the country of the actual events through the Sports Minister.

When questioned how he could rectify the tarnished image of the Cricket Board, Sumathipala said: "I think Clifford Ratwatte should come out and say, I am sorry that if not for my candidature this wouldn't have happened to Sri Lanka cricket".

"If you can't take defeat in the correct spirit, then you should not get involved in sports. If you are a bad loser things of this nature can happen," said Sumathipala, who defeated Ratwatte by 79 votes to 11 for the presidency.

Sumathipala denied there was any harm caused to vice presidential candidate Abu Fuard, who alleged he was punched and kicked by Sumathipala during the AGM.

"Fuard left this place without any problems. He withdrew himself from the vice presidency and there wasn't a single incident that took place. I totally deny anybody assaulted him. Neither did anyone touch him. He is a very old man and we are not in the league to kick people," said Sumathipala.

Chief executive Dammika Ranatunga said five days before the election, the Cricket Board had written to the DIG Colombo L.N. de Silva, and the Cinnamon Gardens police OIC and had the entire area cordoned off and searched with sniffer dogs and metal detectors.

"There was no way anyone could have brought any weapons inside the premises. We also devised a foolproof identification system where everyone was given an identity card to enter the premises," said Ranatunga.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)