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| Saturday, 14 February 2004 |
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A law to cure all ills of sport? by Sa'adi Thawfeeq Sports corruption which is quite rampant in the country today could have been arrested to a certain degree had the amendments brought to the existing Sports Law three years ago been implemented. Chairman of the then National Sports Council (NSC) Sidath Sri Nandalochana said that corruption in sports bodies had today reached epidemic proportions and it started to spiral from around 1977. "It behoves the leadership of the major political parties to help re-establish a value-based society," he said. Nandalochana and two others K.L.F. Wijedasa and Javed Yusuf formed the NSC committee that prepared a detailed and authoritative report at the request of former Sports Minister Lakshman Kiriella. Nandalochana said that it was unfortunate that when the amended Sports Law was ready the Minister of Sports changed and although the report was handed over to the succeeding Minister of Sport, it was shelved and never saw the light of day in Parliament where it had to be approved to become effective. The Sports Law which first came into being in 1971 needed to be rehauled in certain sections to keep it with the vast changes and advances sports administration had made over the years. Nandalochana and Co invited a cross section of public response before finally making the amendments to the Sports Law which according to him would have curbed and controlled the administration and financial irregularities currently rampant in sports bodies today. Some of the salient areas where the amended Law would have become very effective are: Affiliates to the national bodies have to be at least one year in existence and shall have actively participated in every year of its existence before being granted voting rights; this is to minimise mushroom organisation created for the purpose from voting at elections. The term of office of the president and secretary of a registered national association of sports (unless terminated early) should expire at the end of three years. These officials will be eligible to seek election for a second term, but not be eligible thereafter to seek election to the same office. A person shall be disqualified for being elected as an office bearer or committee member of a registered national association of sports or being a nominee of such affiliate if he is a coach of that association for a period of five years prior to election; directly or indirectly involved in the manufacture of any sports goods; if he is a parent of a competitor in the sport of that association; if he is a Member of Parliament, Pradeshiya Sabha, Municipality, Urban Council or other local government; a non national of Sri Lanka; or among other disqualifications an employee of the Ministry of Sports. If a national sports body has movable or immovable assets of over Rs. 5 million, a council of trustees be appointed comprising two qualified accountants and an attorney-at-law, all of whom must have at least 10 years of professional standing. Money spent on any sport in excess of Rs. five lakhs must be approved by the trustees. Election to all sports organisations should be secret ballots. The selection and seeding committees of a national sports body shall be appointed by the ExCo of that national sports body and comprise of three persons who have either represented the country or played in the premier tournament of the sport for a minimum period of three years. The approval of a selected team should be matter for the controlling body. Hither it has been done by the Sports Minister. A person who has been a coach of that sports preceding a period of five years should not be a member of the selection committee. Officials accompanying a national team for a tour abroad should not be more than three. The Sports Minister may for good reasons on representations made to him increase the number. The AGM of a national sports body should be held within six months of the existing financial year ending December 31. Any form of foreign remittance received by the national sports body should be channelled through the Ministry of Sports for the purpose of recording. However they don't have the right to withhold such money. Nandalochana said the NSC although considered the apex body in the Sports Law was made impotent because they had to go to the Sports Minister for whatever they chose to do. The amended Sports Law he said gave the NSC great teeth and curbed the powers of the Sports Minister to a certain degree. "It doesn't matter who does it, but let the country benefit by it," said Nandalochana. |
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