Ranatunga wins legal fight to contest cricket board elections

Former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga has overturned a proposed sports law preventing politicians from holding office in sports bodies.

Sports Minister Johnston Fernando introduced the proposed law in parliament in February 2002 with the specific objective of de-politicising sports administrations, particularly the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL).

However, the Supreme Court in Colombo upheld a petition by Ranatunga, a member of parliament, clearing the way for his participation in the forthcoming cricket board elections.

Ranatunga had complained that the proposed sports law which prevented politicians from holding office in sports bodies was a "violation of his fundamental rights".

He was convinced that Fernando was trying to prevent him from holding office: "When I heard about the policy, I felt that someone was trying to drag me out of sports, an area in which I wanted to help."

Ranatunga is likely to contest against former board president Thilanga Sumathipala in cricket board elections at the end of March.