Top motor racing driver Ashan Silva has been slapped with a six-month ban and suspended suspension of three years by the Sri Lanka Auto Racing Drivers Association (SLADA) following a complaint and a disciplinary hearing it conducted after Gunner Super Cross held in August last year.
In addition to the ban, effective from April 30, Silva has been fined for Rs175,000.
However, Silva says he suspects foul play in the whole incident.
Veteran driver Dinesh Deheragoda reportedly lodged a protest against Silva following the SL-GT up to 3500cc cars and the SL-H up to 1600cc events.
“I protested against him as I was quite confident his cars did not conform to specific rules and regulations laid out by the governing body of motor sports, SLAS,” Deheragoda said.
The organizers of the meet: Sri Lanka Auto racing Drivers Association (SLADA) and the Motor Racing Association (MRA), then impounded the two cars used by Silva for dismantling and inspection.
During the investigation it was revealed the two cars had deviated from the technical limitations giving Silva an undue advantage over other drivers.
Silva had been then charged with the offences as per the constitution of Sri Lanka Automobile Sports (SLAS), the national controlling body for automobile sports in Sri Lanka, and the clubs have found him guilty of seven counts.
A letter signed by SLADA Secretary Dilhan Jayawardena and MRA Secretary Nimal Gunarathna states that Silva has been informed of the decision of the clubs, and the clubs have made arrangements to forward a report to SLAS calling for a general suspension of Silva with immediate effect.
“As a senior sportsman, I feel it’s the duty of everyone to work towards the upliftment of the sport. He ‘won’ races and championships in the past year cheating like this. He has deprived many other drivers including myself of gaining that most important winning position,” Deheragoda charged.
“I’m not guilty,” retorted Silva.
“These kinds of charges come up when drivers who are still competing form racing clubs. I was leading the Sri Lanka Super Series Championship (Carlton) till Foxhill in April. It’s quite puzzling when these kinds of things get published in the midst of championships where you are doing well. In the past too these kinds of allegations had been leveled against top drivers.”
The clubs – SLADA and MRA had informed SLAS of their decision regarding Silva, said SLAS President Nawaz Fowzie.
“We’ll conduct our own inquiry first before thinking of a general suspension,” he said.
In the ongoing SLADA Championship Ashan Silva is placed third, and is battling it out with the likes of Deheragoda, Pasindu Peiris, Aravinda Premadasa and Janaka Dias.
