Two Sri Lankan government officials, both teachers entrusted with the welfare and discipline of schoolchildren now face serious disciplinary repercussions for their role in one of the most brazen breaches of ministerial authority in recent memory. Ms. L.C. Sumanadasa of Dharmarajah College, Kandy, and Mr. J.G. Bandara of St. Sylvester’s College, Kandy, are under intense scrutiny after they accompanied a controversial Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) team comprising 18 boxers, including 13 schoolchildren on a tour to Thailand without the required clearance from the Ministry of Sports.
The decision to travel, despite crystal-clear directives from both the Ministry of Sports and the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, has ignited public fury and is expected to trigger investigations, reprimands, and potential administrative penalties against the two state employees upon their return.
Clear Violations, Mounting Consequences
According to a detailed exposé earlier published by The Morning Telegraph, the Ministry of Education had granted conditional permission for the student-athletes to participate in the Asian Under 19 and Under 22 Boxing Meet, stipulating that Ministry of Sports clearance was mandatory. Yet, as sources within the Ministry confirmed, no such approval was ever finalized. In fact, documents submitted by the BASL seeking approval were reportedly still circulating internally and hadn’t even reached the Ministry Secretary let alone Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage for signature by the time the delegation had already boarded their flight to Bangkok.
Repeat Offenders, Repeated Silence
This isn’t BASL’s first transgression. As The Morning Telegraph previously reported, the Association dispatched a separate team to Seychelles in June, again without Sports Ministry approval. At the time, Minister Gamage failed to take any disciplinary action, essentially giving BASL a free pass and setting what now appears to be a dangerous and emboldening precedent.
The defiance of Ms. Sumanadasa and Mr. Bandara goes far beyond poor judgment. These are government-paid educators who were clearly aware of ministry guidelines and yet chose to undermine not one but two ministries in doing the bidding of a sports body that has come under repeated fire for its lack of transparency and disregard for governance.
A Direct Challenge to the Prime Minister
The Ministry of Education, which falls directly under Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, issued a circular dated July 29, 2025, stating in no uncertain terms that no schoolchild was to travel overseas unless Ministry of Sports approval were secured in advance, and that no financial burden should be passed on to families. As The Morning Telegraph revealed in a previous investigation, BASL President Anuruddha Bandara not only flouted this rule by collecting Rs. 545,000 per student, but also failed to obtain Sports Ministry authorization.
Now, Prime Minister Amarasuriya’s own authority has been publicly trampled by an association that appears immune to rules, shielded either by political ties or gross ministerial incompetence. The defiant departure of the two teachers acting as government representatives is not just an act of insubordination, but a scandalous breakdown in state discipline.
Time for Accountability
The question that remains: Will action finally be taken? The Prime Minister’s credibility, the Ministry of Education’s authority, and the already diminished image of the Ministry of Sports hang in the balance. If Ms. Sumanadasa and Mr. Bandara are allowed to return without consequence, the message is clear Sri Lanka’s laws and directives are optional for those willing to ignore them.
The country now watches closely. Failure to act decisively will not only undermine the rule of law it will institutionalize defiance.
