Deception, manipulation, and calculated misrepresentation now sit at the heart of Sri Lanka’s boxing administration, with the conduct of the current President of the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) raising grave questions about legality, integrity, and institutional decay.
At a time when Sri Lanka has been rocked by public scandals involving fabricated academic credentials—including the ignominious exit of a former Speaker exposed for falsely claiming a doctorate, the BASL President, Anuruddha Shanaka Bandara, has continued to publicly style himself as “Dr.” despite mounting doubts over both the legitimacy and academic substance of the qualification he claims.
The Questionable Doctorate and the Cult of the Prefix
Bandara’s so-called doctorate was awarded by Washington Digital University in Seattle, an institution largely unknown in mainstream academic circles. At a time when “honorary” or purchased doctorates are widely available without the rigour of thesis-based scholarship, the credibility of the qualification remains deeply suspect.
Even more troubling is Bandara’s apparent ignorance or deliberate disregard of a fundamental academic norm: an awarded doctorate is not a social prefix to be publicly paraded, but a qualification confined to academic or institutional contexts. Yet, in a third-world environment where professional titles often command unearned reverence, the contrivance appears to have served its purpose.
Today, all official BASL correspondence bears the “Dr” prefix. Far from earning respect, this practice has turned Bandara into a subject of ridicule within boxing and sporting circles.
Political Patronage and Ministerial Paralysis
Emboldened by political patronage, Bandara has operated with near impunity. Even the current Minister of Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage, appears sidelined and reluctant to intervene—perhaps mindful of the fate of his predecessor, Roshan Ranasinghe, who was politically punished after attempting to confront powerful sports administrators.
Bandara, by contrast, has repeatedly flouted the Sports Law, effectively daring the Ministry to act while continuing unchecked.
Systemic Violations of Sports Law
Under Bandara’s presidency, the following statutory failures have occurred:
- No Annual General Meeting has been held
- Audited accounts have not been tabled
- Mandatory financial reports have not been submitted to the Auditor General within timelines stipulated under Sports Law Act No. 25 of 1973
Despite these violations, BASL has dispatched teams overseas without prior clearance from the Ministry of Sports, including a tour to Seychelles and a youth tour to Bangkok in 2025.
In a particularly brazen episode, ministry approval for the Bangkok tour was issued two days after the competition had concluded, exposing a shocking breakdown of governance and oversight.
Manufacturing International Legitimacy: The World Boxing Distortion
Bandara has also weaponized the print media to mislead the public. A widely circulated report claimed that Sri Lanka, alongside 48 other countries, had secured full membership of World Boxing. The accompanying image—a carefully staged selfie of Bandara with the World Boxing President—was used to lend false credibility to the claim.
The Morning Telegraph can confirm the facts:
Sri Lanka’s application has only been approved by the Executive Board of World Boxing, granting it Endorsed Member status, not Full Membership. Full Membership requires approval by World Boxing’s Congress in 2026.
Until then:
- Sri Lanka cannot vote at Congress
- Voting rights would only commence from 2027 onward, if approval is granted
This was not a misunderstanding. It was a deliberate distortion.
Administrative Inaction and Constitutional Breach
Despite numerous complaints, public disclosures, and clear violations, both the Director General of Sports and the Secretary to the Ministry of Youth & Sports have failed to initiate action against Bandara.
This failure itself constitutes a breach of Article 12(1) and 12(2) of the Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law and equal protection.
Questionable Eligibility and a Manufactured Persona
Bandara’s own eligibility to contest the presidency is also in question. Widely circulated accounts suggest his only competitive boxing experience came from village Avurudu festivals.
He has also falsely presented himself as a “Royalist,” despite having completed his O/Ls at Royal College, Polonnaruwa, not Royal College, Colombo. Within boxing circles, his claimed doctorate and manufactured persona are openly mocked.
National Championships Reduced to Farce
The administrative collapse has directly impacted sporting performance. The 2025 National Boxing Championships, the most important event on the boxing calendar, were postponed to 2026 and relocated to Horana Municipal Grounds—an open venue devoid of basic facilities.
This was done despite cheaper and superior alternatives such as Sugathadasa Stadium and Royal MAS Arena. The decision is widely seen as an attempt to appease Amila Aravinda Tissera of Viyarathana Boxing Club, with allegations of financial self-interest surrounding the move.
Clubs are now in open revolt, citing unfair competitive disadvantages and unacceptable conditions.
International Embarrassment in Dubai
Sri Lanka’s humiliation continued at the IBA World Championships in Dubai (December). Eight boxers and ten officials were sent. While officials’ air tickets were privately funded by Bandara, boxers were forced to raise funds themselves.
All boxers were eliminated by the second round—one of the country’s worst international performances—yet the tour was spun as a success.
The delegation included selector Khan Weerasinghe as an assistant manager, a direct violation of sports law, which prohibits selectors from serving as team officials.
Visa bungling resulted in the team arriving on the day of competition, and in a final embarrassment, the national flag was carried by a coach without a single boxer present.
A Sport Without Direction, Strategy, or Leadership
With the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games in 2026, Sri Lanka Boxing has no visible strategy, no technical leadership, and an Executive Committee largely composed of individuals who have never worn boxing gloves.
As one senior figure put it, it is “the blind leading the blind.”
The Boxing Fraternity Delivers Its Verdict
On 28 December at the BMICH, 125 legendary Sri Lankan boxers gathered for their first-ever felicitation ceremony. Former champions, administrators, and international officials—including Dian Gomes, Director of the International Boxing Association—were unanimous in their verdict.
The current administration, Gomes said bluntly, is “a headless chicken running without a strategy.”
Even Goodwill Turned Into Farce
Even the IBA’s goodwill gesture—a Rs. 5 million international boxing ring—was mishandled. After rotting in the port for five months, the ring was quietly transported to Horana and installed in a private gym, without explanation to the boxing fraternity.
The Final Question
The message from Sri Lanka’s boxing community is unequivocal: Anuruddha Bandara must step down.
What remains is a final question—will the Minister and Ministry continue to look away, or finally act to rescue a sport with over a century of history from one of its darkest chapters?
