Sports
COPE summons present and former Presidents of Football Federation to probe irregularities
by Saman Indrajith
Chairman of parliament watchdog, the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) Prof. Charitha Herath on Thursday abruptly suspended the committee’s probe on Football Federation of Sri Lanka, due to the absence of incumbent and former presidents of the federation.
Prof Herath gave a directive that the investigation on the federation would be held on another date again and ordered that all top officials including the former and incumbent presidents should be present before the committee on that date. The date has been fixed for May 06, parliament sources said.
The committee pointed out that although ten members were elected to the executive committee of the Football Federation, it was revealed that the chairman would appoint another 18 members to the committee.
The COPE instructed the Secretary to the Ministry of Youth and Sports to intervene immediately as it was a major problem, even though it was done in accordance with the Constitution of the Federation. Secretary to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Anuradha Wijekoon said that an order would be issued soon to prevent the appointment of 18 members by the Chairman.
The COPE pointed out that the election committees to conduct elections in those sports bodies were being set up by those associations themselves and therefore such activities were being carried out without any transparency.
It was revealed that Rs. 750,000 will be given to the Chairman of the Election Committee for the forthcoming election of the Football Federation and Rs. 600,000 each would be given to the other two members and this was severely criticized by the committee. It was also revealed that a situation had arisen due to the inability to oppose the decisions of the Chairman as there were 18 members appointed by him.
Accordingly misappropriation of a sum of Euro 40,400 (nearly Rs 6 million) which had been donated by the Italian Football Players Association to construct a football playground in Kalutara, a sum of USD 60,000 (nearly Rs 6 million) which had been given by the Asian Football Federation for competitions, a sum of Rs.10 million which had been given by a private company to construct 20 houses for tsunami victims and a sum of USD 200,000 which had been donated by the Asian Football Federation were discussed at the meeting.
It was also revealed that the current President of the Federation had submitted an affidavit to the court stating that no such financial irregularities had taken place in the background of the Financial Crimes Investigation Division concluding its investigations and filing cases in the courts. The committee pointed out that it was a serious matter to inform through an affidavit that it had not happened.
The COPE Chairman pointed out that the game of football in the country had fallen to a very low level and it was a tragedy that despite such a large allocation of funds, it had fallen to such a low level. Therefore, the current chairman and former chairman Manilal Fernando should be summoned immediately before the COPE committee to investigate the matter, the COPE committee said.
The COPE chairman emphasized that the Ministry should always be vigilant about the role of these associations and that direct supervision should be carried out by the Ministry.
He also instructed the Secretary to the Ministry of Youth and Sports to pay more attention to associations such as the Sri Lanka Cricket and the Football Federation.
Ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Sarath Weerasekera, MPs Rauf Hakeem, Nalin Bandara, S.M. Marikkar and S. Rasamanikkam, Secretary to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Director General of the Department of Sports Development along with other officials and officials of Football Federation were present at the meeting.