Prevent AI’s politicisation of World Cup Cricket tournament

Lanka calls on International Cricket Council:

GENEVA: The Sri Lankan delegation met with Amnesty International (AI) representatives on the sidelines of the fourth session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva to point out the possible repercussions of any human rights campaign on Sri Lanka during the Cricket World Cup tournament in the West Indies, a Foreign Ministry release said.

The Sri Lankan delegation made the following points:

* That sport has always united the Sri Lankan nation and has helped promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence among the different communities. The Sri Lankan national cricket team consists of players of all communities, Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim and Burgher.

*  That such an initiative by AI could distract the national team and could be construed as a deliberate attempt to adversely affect their performance and concentration on the game. A small island nation with a team representing all ethnicities will be subjected to unfair psychological pressure by this vicious campaign.

* The politicisation of any sports event is deplorable and contrary to United Nations General Assembly resolution 59/10 of December 8, 2004, entitled ‘Sport as a means to promote education, health, development and peace.’

* Such a campaign by AI would damage its credibility in the eyes of the sports-loving public and only cause further damage to its reputation in Sri Lanka.

* Despite these representations and despite assurances given to the Sri Lanka High Commission in London that AI had not organised any activities in the West Indies, AI has launched a cricket ball signing campaign.

* It is regrettable that as a result of such unwarranted activities by AI. representations have had to be made to the International Cricket Council (ICC) to stop these activities, in the interest of maintaining fairplay in the ongoing Cricket World Cup tournament, the release said.