Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Saturday issued a media statement, denying the certain allegations against the board, players and officials.
The SLC statement reads:
“SLC wishes to express extreme disappointment at the baseless allegation leveled against certain Sri Lanka national players, coaches, selectors and officials by certain quarters with a vested interest, who allege that the present administrators of Sri Lanka Cricket are working towards promoting an agenda of a certain religious group, which the detractors describe as ‘Born Again’’.
Sri Lanka Cricket steadfastly denies this false and fabricated allegation which has no substance to it.
We wish to caution the persons with vested interests, who throws such allegations to be mindful of the fact that the game of cricket is followed ardently by every citizen of this country and is the primary sport that unites the Nation, which consists of a population representing diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, and religions.
Sri Lanka Cricket Team has experienced the love and affection of the entire country and its people, when the Sri Lanka National Team won the 1996 Cricket World Cup, T20i World Cup in 2014 and also when it achieved other great wins, such as the Asia Cup victories.
We wish to state that SLC works in line with the ICC Anti-Discrimination Policy for International Cricket which confirms a level of commitment from the ICC and its Members to promote and encourage participation at all levels regardless of race, color, religion, descent, culture, ethnic origin, nationality, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, and/or maternity status and to ensure that there is no discrimination in the sport.
The public of this country is very well aware that Sri Lanka National Cricket Team has been a place, where talented players from all walks of life have walked in and represented the country and some went onto become the ‘Greats of the Game,’ due to the fact that they were given their due place in the national team owing to the non-discriminatory policy of the SLC.
Whilst SLC pays the utmost respect to the right granted on every person by the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka to freedom of religion including the freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his/her choice, in no way SLC takes into consideration any person’s religion or what he/she believes in for any affairs of Sri Lanka Cricket.
Therefore, we wish to reiterate to the ardent fans of Sri Lanka Cricket and the public of this country that in no way Sri Lanka Cricket is carrying out an agenda of a religious group and request them to rally around their beloved National Cricket Team, as done always, in order to carry forward the glory of the ‘One Team One Nation’ brand.
