Representatives from the Ministry of Sports and National Olympic Committee (NOC) will sit down to hold their first meeting on December 17 to start the process of resolving the issue of amending the Sports Law in accordance with the demands of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The Sports Ministry has appointed its Secretary Anura Jayawickrama, Ranjani Jayakody, the Director General of Sports, legal adviser Panduka Keerthinanda and Dr. Maiya Gunasekara into a working group while the NOC nominated its General Secretary Maxwell de Silva, BLH Perera, a lecturer, and lawyer Dilshan Jayasuriya to take care of its interests and ensure the proper coordination and the continuity of the consultative process.
“We have nominated our representative with myself and will discuss the matter on Tuesday (December 17th) at the meeting with NOC representatives”, said Secretary of the Sports Ministry Anura Jayawickrama.
The first meeting of both parties was scheduled for last Tuesday (December 10th) but as NOC members said they were unable to attend, it was re scheduled for December 17.
NOC secretary Maxwell de Silva said that with their busy schedule they couldn’t attend the meeting with just one day’s notice and did notify the ministry of sports.
Interestingly, last week a group of Executive Committee members demanded an urgent Special General Meeting (SGM) from the NOC which was turned down by its chief Hemasiri Fernando.
Fernando said sports federations had to do their homework before an SGM if they are genuinely interested in solving the current problem.
“I will not allow an SGM until the (sports) Associations follow the guidelines given by the IOC and make amendments if necessary to their Constitutions,” said Fernando
“They can hold the AGM, not an SGM, once they complete that procedure,” added Fernando.
The prime purpose of the so-called SGM has not been specified but an official said that the reason was to call for an interim administration until fresh elections are held after the revision of the Sports Law.
But according to the agreement reached by all the parties at a meeting with the IOC and NOC on November 27 at Lausanne, the election should only be held after the revision of the Sports Law and until such time current NOC office bearers will remain in place.
Both the NOC and the Sports Ministry agreed to do so for a 90 day period from November 27.
The IOC called for a revision of the Sports Law and the removal of several intrusive Regulations amended this year after it found that the Sports Law and the Regulations drastically interfered with the independence of national sports associations.
A letter signed by 20 of the 24 NOC member associations states that the SGM should be held within one month of the day of the receipt of the letter in keeping with clause IV-Para 13.8 of the Sports Law.
A decision to demand for a Special Ex-co was reached when the representatives from national sports associations met the Minister of Sports a few days ago to discuss the outcome of the meeting that the NOC and the Ministry of Sports had with the IOC in Lausanne.
Meanwhile a letter signed by Jerome Poivey, Head of Institutional Relations and Governance, NOC Relations Department, IOC and addressed to the Minister of Sports on December 7, 2013 emphasized the need to cooperate in safeguarding the agreement that was reached on November 27, 2013.
But after the meeting the sports ministry launched a scathing attack on NOC head Hemasiri Fernando claiming he betrayed the country by writing to the IOC on internal matters which should have been sorted out at home.
In Parliament, Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage lambasted Fernando, a government servant who has been controlling the apex sports body for 16 long years.
Subsequently the Ministry issued a press statement not only criticizing but also leveling various allegations against Fernando, including his failure to adhere to good governance and financial matters.
Among them were amending the Constitution without executive committee approval and procurement of airline tickets through a company which he has direct dealings with.
“This is not about the Sports Law. This is about Hemasiri Fernando wanting to continue in the same post indefinitely,” said minister Aluthgamage after his Parliament speech.
Aluthgamage who also met the heads of sports associations said they were in agreement that Fernando’s international stance could not be justified.
“When I met the heads of these associations they were very clear that the NOC chief (Fernando) had acted in an arbitrary manner without even consulting the executive committee members,” minister Aluthgamage charged.
The statement issued by the Sports Ministry also quoted former NOC secretary HU Silva, volleyball chief Minister Dilan Perera, NOC vice president Dian Gomes, rugby chief Asanga Seneviratne, cricket secretary Nishantha Ranatunga, horse racing chief Suranjith Premadasa and badminton head Suraj Dandeniya voicing their strong opposition to Fernando.
