In what can only be described as a national disgrace, Sri Lanka’s school boxing tour to Thailand has detonated into a full-blown scandal of epic proportions. Every single boxer was knocked out literally and figuratively with not one managing to secure even a solitary win. Some were humiliated in under a minute, their fights stopped by referees as they flailed helplessly in the ring. Parents were squeezed for a jaw-dropping Rs. 545,000 per child to fund this disastrous trip, only to watch their sons and daughters become cannon fodder on foreign soil. But the embarrassment runs far deeper: the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) is now under fire for brazenly violating Ministry of Sports laws, trampling over Ministry of Education conditions, and sending two government schoolteachers abroad without authorization, an act that could land them in serious disciplinary trouble. With the nation fuming and the integrity of Sri Lankan sport in freefall, the government is under intense pressure to stop the rot or be seen as complicit in it.
Sri Lanka’s ill-fated boxing tour to Thailand, already marred by controversy, has now descended into full-blown disgrace. With all boxers on tour suffering a total wipeout, with not a single victory to its name. Every Sri Lankan boxer lost their first bout, some within the first minute of their fight. Others were stopped by the referee or reprimanded for poor technique, such as slapping their opponents with open palms instead of delivering proper punches. This was not a tour for “international experience” as claimed. It was a costly circus, and the ticket price was Rs. 545,000 per student and for some a costly sum to travel all the way to Thailand to not be able to last even under 60 seconds in the ring.
But the humiliating performance is just the tip of the iceberg.
A Tour Built on Defiance
The tour to Thailand was riddled with violations from the start. The Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) blatantly disregarded regulations and selected 18 boxers, including 13 schoolchildren, to travel overseas without obtaining the mandatory approval from the Ministry of Sports. This defiance came in spite of a clear directive from the Ministry of Education, headed by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, which permitted student participation only if all legal and ministerial requirements were met.
Instead, the BASL steamrolled ahead.
Two government schoolteachers Ms. L.C. Sumanadasa of Dharmarajah College Kandy and Mr. J.G. Bandara of St. Sylvester’s College Kandy have landed themselves in hot water after brazenly joining the ill-fated boxing tour to Thailand as officials. Their overseas travel, done without the mandatory approvals required for public servants, has sparked widespread public outrage. No one seems to know under what category of leave they used to slip out of the country, or who authorized their travel, if anyone did at all. In a nation supposedly governed by law, this breach cannot go unchecked. If seven PSD officers could be transferred for illegally purchasing duty-free alcohol, how can these two teachers be allowed to walk free after defying ministerial protocol? After all, they too are government servants. And if the law is to mean anything, they must be held equally accountable.
Ignoring the Law: Twice in a Row
After Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage assumed duties, new national sports regulations were introduced on May 21, 2025, to ensure stricter oversight. The rules clearly stated that no athlete may represent Sri Lanka abroad without formal Ministry of Sports approval. Moreover, the use of the national flag, logo, or name “Sri Lanka” without permission is deemed a punishable offense.
Despite this, the BASL has twice broken these rules, first by sending a team to Seychelles earlier in June, and now to Thailand. On both occasions, complaints were filed, but the Ministry of Sports has remained disturbingly silent.
Dangerous Precedents and Endangered Children
The BASL not only violated regulations, but also gambled with the safety of children. Boxing is a high-contact sport with elevated risks of injury, especially for untrained or underprepared participants. Yet, the BASL invited school-level athletes to fight overseas without any pre-camp, nutrition support, or proper training. Clothing and gear had to be self-funded. Selection trials were conducted at the last minute. There was no long-term training plan. Neither was there any accountability.
Even the limited approval obtained from the Ministry of Education came with eight conditions, one of which was that the Ministry of Sports’ approval being mandatory. Despite not obtaining this, the BASL allowed the schoolchildren boxers and the two schoolteachers to travel without any clearance, setting a precedent that could encourage similar defiance across all sports disciplines.
A Shameful Display of Mismanagement
The BASL’s sudden justification after losing all bouts is that the tour was to gain “experience. A somewhat bitter insult to the families who struggled to fund it. Students, especially from districts like Vavuniya, begged for sponsorship on social media. The financial burden on these families was immense, and the returns? A loss in under 60 seconds. No medals. No growth. Just humiliation.
The association itself operates without a treasurer or accountant, an unthinkable situation for any national sports body.
Meanwhile, the Sports Minister, himself a chartered accountant by profession, remains curiously inactive.
Where Are the Principals?
This scandal also reflects poorly on the principals of elite schools like Royal College Colombo, St. Sylvester’s College Kandy, Zahira College Colombo, and Hemamali Girls’ College. These administrators should have ensured that their students were not placed in such a risky, unauthorized, and unregulated situation.
Their silence is also deafening.
A Line in the Sand
The current government came to power promising zero tolerance for corruption and misgovernance. If they truly stand by that promise, then now is the time to act. The BASL’s blatant disregard for ministerial authority, national regulations, and child safety cannot go unpunished.
Boxing Tour of Blunders: Reckless Violations, Costly Failures, and a Silent Ministry
This reckless disregard for rules doesn’t just stain boxing, it sets a dangerous precedent across all sports. With boxing being a high-contact sport prone to injuries, putting children in the ring without oversight is more than negligent; it’s criminally irresponsible.
These young athletes were sent overseas with no proper squad selection, no training regimen, no nutrition plan, and not a rupee of support for gear or supplements. Everything from gloves to tracksuits had to be self-funded. The BASL, lacking any pre-selected squad or coherent annual strategy, cobbled together a last-minute team, throwing children into international competition unprepared.
According to national sports regulations, every association must submit an annual plan to the Director General of Sports. The BASL hasn’t. And the Sports Ministry, rather than enforce compliance, has stood idly by one of many reasons for boxing’s sharp decline.
Minister of Sports Misinformed
The association continues to feed misinformation to the Sports Minister, who, shockingly, appears entirely out of depth on boxing matters. During the U22 Asian tournament held in Sri Lanka, the team “won” 15 medals, but not any through merit. They were awarded due to lack of competition. The BASL claims that no revenue was generated from that event either, and to this day, the Ministry hasn’t investigated what financial benefits BASL’s President may have walked away with.
This is not just about sport anymore, this is about the rule of law
Rules cannot be bent for one association and strictly enforced for another. The sports law must be applied equally, especially when schoolchildren are involved.
The Morning Telegraph will continue to monitor whether these violations are finally addressed, or once again swept under the political rug. The law must be equal for all, especially when the safety and dignity of children are at stake.
