In the middle of a national education storm, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya who also oversees the Ministry of Education now finds herself facing another fire. Already under fire for controversial education reforms and even the inclusion of inappropriate and uncouth language in Grade Five exam papers, the latest scandal involves schoolchildren being reduced to public fundraisers just to represent Sri Lanka in boxing.
At the heart of the crisis is Sri Lanka Boxing Association (SLBA) President Anuruddha Bandara, who has shamelessly ignored circulars issued by the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education. He has now taken the disgraceful step of making selected schoolboy and schoolgirl boxers source nearly Rs. 545,000 each to travel to Bangkok for the upcoming Asian Under-19 and Under-22 Boxing Championships.
And shockingly, Minister of Sports Sunil Kumara Gamage, instead of stepping in, appears to be cozying up to the SLBA President, raising serious concerns about governance, accountability, and cronyism in sport.
A National Shame: Kids Made to Beg on Facebook
The public first became aware of this disgraceful episode when selected schoolchildren themselves posted scanned copies of letters issued by SLBA President Anuruddha Bandara on social media, detailing the personal expenses they were now forced to bear.
According to the letter, each boxer must pay:
- Rs. 130,000 for airfare
- Rs. 400,000 for accommodation and food
- Rs. 15,000 for a track kit
This brings the total burden on each young athlete to a staggering Rs. 545,000. In most households across Sri Lanka, that is a year’s worth of income if not more. These are schoolboys, not private professionals.
Even more heartbreaking is the fact that some of these boxers come from remote and underprivileged regions such as Vavuniya, for whom this opportunity is a once-in-a-lifetime dream. But dreams, it seems, are only valid if you can pay for them.
Even donors contributing amounts as modest as Rs. 25,000 are now being seen as opportunists, capitalizing on the desperation of these schoolboy boxers to gain publicity and polish their image under the guise of charity.
Government Circulars? Ignored
The SLBA’s actions blatantly violate Section 3.2.1.1 of the revised circular issued by the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education on 21 July 2025 (an update to Circular 12.05.2003). This circular clearly mandates that all costs associated with sending schoolchildren overseas for sports competitions must be borne entirely by the respective sports federation, especially when seeking ministerial approval.
Anuruddha Bandara, however, has chosen to flagrantly disregard this order, and what’s worse the Ministry of Sports has failed to hold him accountable.
Missing Money, Missing Officials: Where Did the Funds Go?
The questions don’t stop with the begging letters. The SLBA recently conducted an Under-22 Boxing Meet under the banned International Boxing Association (IBA), an entity suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Despite the controversy, SLBA is said to have received a sizable sum of money from that event. But where did those funds go?
To add to the chaos:
- SLBA currently has no Treasurer (the former one resigned)
- It also lacks an Assistant Treasurer
- And yet, it continues to operate unchecked, with no financial oversight
The Real Question: Why Is No One Doing Anything?
The bigger scandal lies not just in what Anuruddha Bandara has done, but in what those in power have failed to do:
- Minister of Sports Sunil Kumara Gamage remains disturbingly silent
- Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, despite her dual role overseeing the education ministry, has taken no visible action
- No audit, no inquiry, no removal, only silence
It’s no longer just a boxing issue. It’s a national governance failure. If Bandara cannot source funds without resorting to humiliating schoolchildren, then he must step aside. Someone capable and accountable should take over.
A Punch in the Gut for Sri Lankan Sport
This incident is not just a bureaucratic hiccup it is an embarrassment to Sri Lanka on the international stage. Young athletes are being shamed into seeking help from strangers online while their federation leadership behaves with impunity.
And unless immediate action is taken, it won’t be long before Sri Lanka is banned, its athletes barred, and its reputation in global sport left in tatters.
The Final Responsibility Lies With the Prime Minister
It’s high time that Dr. Harini Amarasuriya steps beyond her ideological reforms and starts paying attention to the real suffering of Sri Lanka’s children. As the overseer of the education ministry and as the Prime Minister, she must intervene in this boxing scandal now.
