The former Minister of Sports Roshan Ranasinghe dropped a bombshell when he sent two letters, one to the Commonwealth Games Federation and the other to the Olympic Council of Asia indicating that the disappearance of both officials and athletes from the Games Village at the last Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham, England tantamounted to human smuggling.
Whilst expressing his displeasure due to the shame that was brought upon the nation, the former Minister of Sports writing to Dame Louise Martin the President of the Commonwealth Games Federation on the 30th of September 2022, stated his regret on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka for the inconvenience that this scandal had caused.
(Rtd) Major General Dampath Fernando who went to the Commonwealth Games 2022 as Chef De Mission
In his letter the former Minister Ranasinghe wrote “An impartial investigation is being conducted regarding these players and NOC on the existing legal provisions in Sri Lanka and further actions will be taken based on the conclusions and recommendations to prevent such incidents occurring in the future.”
“As a member of the Commonwealth, we look forward to your support and blessings in the future towards the betterment of sports,” he concluded.
Gamini Jayasinghe who went to the Commonwealth Games 2022 as Asst. Chef De Mission
The officials who sought to seek greener pastures in an illegal manner by disappearing from the Games Village in the UK were, Damith Asela President Judo Federation, Mallawarachchi Secretary Wrestling Federation and NOCSL official photographer named Kandula along with four boxers attached to the Sri Lanka Army along with five more athletes.
Strangely it was just a couple of days ago that the former National Judo Coach Amal Ratnayake addressing a letter to the new Minister of Sports Harin Fernando said that he was privy to information that the President of the Judo Association Damith Asela was planning on disappearing from the Games Village. He also stressed that he had informed the NOCSL Sec. Gen Maxwell De Silva about it, but he had just ignored his warning.
Chandana Liyanage who went to the Commonwealth Games as Asst. Chef De Mission
When The Morning Telegraph contacted officials of the Ministry of Sports to gather more information on this matter, we were informed that Suresh Subramaniam the President of the NOCSL had officially sent in a letter, requesting them to have the Criminal Investigation Department conduct an investigation regarding this issue.
Meanwhile, on the 22nd of December 2022 the former Minister Ranasinghe sent a letter to H.E Hussain Al Mosallam the Director General of the Olympic Council of Asia, complaining that till to date the NOCSL had not conducted an inquiry regarding this incident nor has the Ministry of Sports been kept informed.
There cannot be smoke without fire, because the former Minister of Sports Ranasinghe was not making these allegations in parliament by using his privileges, but rather in two official letters sent out from his then run Ministry.
Many an allegation have now been made as to how those that disappeared from the Games Village did so along with their passports in hand, whilst the rest of the athletes’ passports were kept with the Chef De Mission (Rtd) Major General Dampath Fernando (who incidentally was the former Chief of Staff in the SL Army) and or with his three Assistant Chef De Missions namely Gamini Jayasinghe (former Prisons Commissioner), Chandana Liyanage and (Rtd) Col. Chaminda Tennekoon who were sent especially to man three separate sections where the athletes were housed in the Games Village.
According to the court of public opinion, many believe that Maxwell De Silva the Secretary General of the NOCSL had had a hand in selecting three of his close acquaintances in (Rtd) Major General Dampath Fernando, Gamini Jayasinghe and Chandana Liyanage for this mission.
Coincidentally, as of June 2023, the (Rtd) Major General Dampath Fernando has been banned from holding any office at the Handball Federation by the Ministry of Sports, due to the misappropriation of funds.
Another allegation that has come up is as to how four boxers from the Sri Lanka Army disappeared, in what is now claimed to have been well planned and strategically executed, that commenced from as early as the boxing trials and selection stage.
Meanwhile, it was barely only a week ago that another Member of Parliament Chinthaka Mayadunna exposed officials attached to the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL), as those being corrupt but more so officials who have also been involved in human smuggling.
Suranjith Premadasa named as a corrupt official by MP Chinthaka Mayadunne
MP Mayadunna singled out the name of Maxwell De Silva the current Secretary General of the NOCSL as a very corrupt official, who strangely continues to run the affairs of the International Olympic Council’s local body, despite being found guilty in 2018 for also pocketing state funds. Strangely, till to date no progress has been made despite this case being forwarded to the Attorney General to file a case against him as per Section5(b) of the Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports Act, No 24 of 2019.
He went on to also mention the name of Suranjith Premadasa among many others in the NOCSL Executive Committee who have been controlling nearly 38 to 40 Olympic Sport Associations.
The point that MP Mayadunne stressed during his tirade in Parliament was that many of these NOCSL officials have been in working in tandem with most of these sport bodies and have been running its affairs in a true mafia like operation for years.
