Another international sports body is showing concern over the Sports Law interference as SLASU media release stated that FINA the international governing body for Aquatics will be visiting Sri Lanka to seek clarification with the Minister.
A representative of the international federation for aquatic sports, FINA, is set to visit Sri Lanka next week to meet with the Minister of Tourism and Sports to clarify the situation regarding the interfering clauses of the Sports Law and its regulations affecting its national federation, the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU), before deciding on further course of action.
FINA in the absence of a reply to its original letter of 9th April 2015, issued SLASU a directive and informed the Minister of Tourism and Sports on 11th May 2015 to postpone the elections until the Ministry revises the Sports Law and/or its regulations within the IOC imposed time period of two months. FINA also warned that non-adherence to its directive will cause the FINA Executive to take further measures.
Short of time and a response from the Ministry, SLASU postponed its Annual General Meeting and election of office bearers scheduled for 15th May 2015 abiding by the FINA directive. Hours before the elections, the ministry finally responded to FINA stating its inability to postpone. A few clubs and aspiring candidates seized this opportunity to conduct the elections sans the President, Secretary and Treasurer in the presence of Department of Sports Development creating an impasse.
This has compelled FINA to also note in its letter that, “FINA does not recognize the new elections conducted on May 15th 2015, until the FINA’s representative clarifies the situation, according to FINA Rule BL 14 Autonomy of the National Federations Members of FINA.”
Mr Majid Waseem, a member of the FINA Masters Committee and the Associate Secretary of the Asian Amateur Swimming Federation will meet with officials of SLASU, the National Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports during his visit before compiling a report for the FINA Bureau.
SLASU is the national affiliate federation of FINA, the international federation for the aquatic disciplines of swimming, diving, water polo, synchronized swimming, open water swimming and high diving and is registered with Ministry of Tourism and Sports. It is also an affiliate of the Asian Amateur Swimming Federation (AASF) and the South Asian Swimming Federation (SASF).
