Sri Lanka Cricket reported to anti-graft commission

Colombo, Feb 2: Sri Lanka's cricket governing body SLC has been reported to the Commission on Bribery and Corruption today. The Marxist JVP of the People's Liberation Front said they had highlighted 25 points over alleged misconduct by top officials of bribery and corruption at SLC.

Sri Lanka Cricket is suffering from mismanagement, corruption and authoritarianism, Sunil Handunneththi, a senior JVP lawmaker told reporters after handing over a written complaint to the anti-graft commission.

He said the complaints concerning the conduct of the former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, SLC Secretary Nishantha Ranatunga are included in the complaint.

"One of the main complaints is the conduct of Nishantha Ranatunga in handing over the cricket television rights to a private TV channel where he served as its chief executive officer," Handunneththi said.

Ranatunga served as the CEO of Carlton Sports Network (CSN), a channel linked to the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's family.

Cricket television rights, usually a preserve for the national television Rupavahini, was handed over to CSN without the proper tender procedure the opposition then alleged.

Since Rajapaksa was defeated by the current President Maithripala Sirisena, the cricket television rights award contract is being reviewed, officials said.

JVP was a backer of Sirisena against Rajapaksa despite still sitting in opposition. The party however serves in Sirisena's high level national executive council.

Nishantha Ranatunga's brother Arjuna Ranatunga, the former world cup winning legendary captain is Sirisena's Minister of Ports and Shipping.

PTI