Former Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) President Thilanga Sumathipala’s Writ application will be coming up to support in Court of Appeal on 20th January morning, Cricket Age reliably learns. It is a crucial and Important case for Sri Lanka Cricket, as the tainted and banned Sumathipala has argued in his writ to quash a decision by the former Sports Minister Harin Fernando to bar him from holding office at Maitland Place.
In October last year, Sumathipala was banned from the cricket by Harin Fernando, based on a report of the International Cricket Council (ICC) that exposed his involvement in betting and gambling. Sumathipala was acting as immediate past President at the SLC at that time.
However, now as the government has changed in the country, Sumathipala, who is also a part of ruling party, is trying to creeping back to cricket through the loopholes. In his never ending greed for the power at SLC, Sumathipala has filed a writ in order to misusing the goodwill of new government by misleading the top political brass.
Cricket Age has the access of all the documents of Sumathipala’s writ, that says that he has asked for an independent, impartial inquiry over certain allegations against him, by challenging the previous investigation panel’s report.
In his writ, backed by president’s counsel Navin Marapana, Sumathipala has named Harin Fernando, present Sports Minister Dallas Alahapperuma, Sports Ministry secretary KBS Ruwanchandra, SLC President Shammi Silva, Vice president Ravin Wickramaratne, Secratary Mohan De Silva, treasurer Lasantha Wickramsingha, Assistant Treasurer Lalith Rambukwella as correspondents.
According to sources, Sumathipala’s game plan is to prolong the proceedings by force the concerned authorities to appoint new committee and to use his political mileage to return to the SLC.
In his writ, Sumathipala, who was universally exposed by ICC over his betting and gambling activities while being a part of SLC, has shamelessly mentioned how he has served the cricket in the country for over two decades and has been a part of SLC administration more than dozen times.
If it happens and Sumathipala succeeds to make a return at SLC, it would be termed as the darkest episode in the history of the game in the Island. Harin Fernando, unarguably the best Sports Minister in Sri Lanka history, single handedly fought against the Cricket Mafia in the country, garner the trust and backing of ICC and achieved a historical feat by banning Sumathipala.
However, with new political scenario, Sumathipala (2.0) is yet again trying to make a return, by misusing government’s goodwill!
