Mohan De Silva, the former vice president of Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC), has emerged as the front runner to contest for the presidential post in the upcoming board election, Cricket Age reliably learns. The much awaited SLC elections are scheduled for February next year.
According to reliable sources, former SLC President Thilanga Sumathipala has given the node on Mohan De Silva, after it has become clear that he will not be able to contest the election due to certain things going against him.
Cricket Age understands that the ongoing court case against Sumathipala is one of Prime reason for his reluctant to contest SLC election. In May this year, former SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga dragged him into the Court over several allegations, including his allaged involvement in gambling business. It is noteworthy that even though Sumathipala has always denied it, it is a well known fact that his family runs a gambling outfit named Sporting Star.
during the Court of Appeal hearing on 3rd december, the Auditor General (AG’s) department told the court that Sumathipala is not going to contest next election anyway. However, when Court asked to submit this in writing, the AG’s department had no answer of it.
In another big blow to Sumathipala, The International Cricket Council (ICC) has also made it mandatory for anybody wishing to join its Board of Directors to not have any links with the betting or gaming industry. This requirement was earlier only in the body’s Code of Ethics. But in a recent move, the ICC has made it a part of its mandatory Eligibility Criteria for the Board of Directors.
“As part of a regular review of policies and procedures, we have refreshed the Director Eligibility Criteria so that it mirrors our Code of Ethics and this includes (along with lots of other criteria) no association (directly or indirectly/them or immediate family) with any betting organisation,” a source from the ICC confirmed.
The ICC Code of Ethics Section 2.6.1 says: “An Official may not have a business association (whether direct or indirect) or enter into any business arrangement (whether formal or informal) with any Betting Organisation that involves the payment of any monies to or by, or the conferring of any benefit(s) or advantage(s) upon or by, the Official, either directly or indirectly, as a result of such association or arrangement unless such association or arrangement is disclosed to, and recorded and approved by, the Ethics Officer”.
Section 2.6.2 reads “It is not permitted, and an Official shall be in breach of this Code if, any member of the Official’s immediate family (being a spouse, parent, sibling, son or daughter, or son or daughter-in-law) has a controlling interest in a Betting Organisation, a substantial relationship with a Betting Organisation, or is employed in the day-to-day operational control of a Betting Organisation.
After the new resolution of the ICC particularly, it has become near impossible for Sumathipala to contest the presidential election at SLC.
Mohan De Silva, meanwhile, is one of the clean and honest administrator in otherwise notorious set of people’s in Sumathipala camp. A non controversial figure, Mohan De Silva has been considered as the closest associate of Sumathipala and had served SLC as President way back in 2004.
The previous tenure of Sumathipala camp at SLC had turned out a disaster, marred by mismanagement, fraud and fixing allegations. Mohan De Silva, however, had successfully maintained his dignity and image, thus Sumathipala is hoping for a revival of fortune through his former vice president!
