The Ministry of Sports and National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Sri Lanka yesterday agreed to postpone the NOC election until regulations and Sports Law are revised in keeping with the Olympic Charter.
The NOC election was fixed for December 27 but the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has demanded that the election be postponed until the Sports Law is amended.
The agreement was reached when representatives from NOC and Ministry of Sports met the International Olympic Committee officials in Lausanne, Switzerland yesterday.
The IOC in two separate letters issued to the Minister of Sports during the last two months demanded an urgent review of the Sports Law in keeping with the Olympic Charter in order to protect the autonomy of national sports associations.
It said that the regulations issued in two separate instances this year were restrictive and detrimental to the independence of the voluntary, non-profit and self-financing sports associations.
At yesterday’s meeting, the Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and his representatives had agreed to review the Sports Law in keeping with the Olympic Charter.
“We have identified 24 regulations that were not compatible with the Olympic Charter and which directly lead to interferences. They (Sports Ministry) agreed to review these changes,” a source said on the condition of anonymity.
NOC chief Hemasiri Fernando launched a scathing attack on the Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage on Tuesday and charged that the new regulations had handed unlimited powers to the Director General of Sports to control sports associations and also to control election of office bearers to the associations. The regulations also give an unlimited power to the minister to decide all office bearers of associations except the treasurer, as anyone contesting posts in national sports associations has to get the prior approval of the minister which blatantly violates the laws governing the Olympic Movement. The amendments also demand that accounts of national sports association be audited by the government auditor.
Fernando said that he would step down from the post on December 31, 2013 notwithstanding the postponement of the election.
“The biggest problem many had was my staying here. I am not here to stay forever and I will step down. I fought a battle to safeguard the interest of sports and I am happy I achieved it,” Fernando said.
