Shammi Silva, the now suspended Sri Lanka Cricket president claimed that his life is in danger as protesters threatened to come out in their numbers on Monday to force him out completely after the International Cricket Council (ICC) took his side and banned the Sri Lanka team over what it said was political interference.
“I cannot move about in public and the police have advised me of my safety as the people are agitated,” said Silva at a Press conference on Saturday.
He summoned the Press conference to prove his innocence and that of his Committee who stand accused by both the government and Opposition MPs of corruption, nepotism and abuse of power that prompted Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe to sack all office bearers of SLC and appoint an Interim Committee.
In turn the ICC banned Sri Lanka citing political interference.
“We are not responsible for the ban, it is the Sports Minister who should take the blame.
“They accuse us of robbing. We have not robbed five cents and the Minister should turn the mirror inside and see who the real rogues are,” said Silva.
He said he was prepared to talk to the ICC and have the ban lifted so Sri Lanka can host the Under-19 World Cup in January 2024 provided he gets an assurance from President Ranil Wickremasinghe.
Asked why he and his Committee want to stick around with Parliament reaching a united consensus to have them replaced, Silva replied: “We have not robbed and none of us are involved in betting and cheating. The Minister fell sore with us because we refused to give his Ministry a large share our SLC’s earnings.
“As a matter of fact we have already given the Minister Rs. 290 million to be used for the welfare of other sports,” said Silva.
He denied Minister Ranasinghe’s claim in Parliament that he secretly plotted with officials of the ICC to ban Sri Lanka at a clandestine meeting at a hotel in Sri Lanka.
Silva also claimed that Sri Lanka could lose up to 50 million dollars in revenue next year due to the ban and that a scheduled ICC meeting in Colombo in June will also not take place.
