In a worsening situation at Sri Lanka Cricket, an examination paper for an umpires’ test has been leaked out creating a row that umpire-fixing has been taking place over the years.
The charges have been levelled by at the Umpires Committee with its members taking the issue to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka.
“Sri Lanka Cricket conducted an examination not to establish competent umpires but to promote their henchmen who secretly received the question paper well in advance before the exam and two people in the Umpires Committee are responsible for the leak-out,” said cricket umpire KKD Chandana.
He charged that exam cheating by umpires had been taking place at Sri Lanka Cricket over the years amid total silence by those who were supposed to have blown the whistle, but instead chose to keep mum.
“In the past there were about five or six umpires who received the question paper before the exam, but this time as many as 25 umpires got hold of the question paper. We cannot tolerate what was taking place any longer at Sri Lanka Cricket, where umpires rose up in the ranks through cheating and favouritism and that is why we decided to go to the Human Rights Commission”, said Chandana.
He claimed that over a hundred umpires in the recent past has become victims of exam fraud over the years.
“Umpire candidates who got more marks like 70 were pushed down and those who had less marks like 20 were declared passed,” said Chandana.
An official of Sri Lanka Cricket refused to talk when asked to comment saying the allegation of umpire fixing will have to be proved.
