The Morning Telegraph has reliably uncovered that between 2018 and 2023, seven former Executive Committee members of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) collectively misappropriated an astonishing sum of Rs. 17,422,717. These funds were siphoned off under the guise of per diems, hotel accommodations and incidental expenses during overseas tours to prestigious events including the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, Olympic Games, Youth Olympic Games, and South Asian Games. However, under NOCSL Constitution Article 6.9, Executive Committee Members are not entitled to any bonus or per diems, as all related expenses such as air tickets,visa charges, hotel accomodation, meals and local transportation in those respective countries are directly covered by the organizers of those games.
This longstanding misuse of funds was kept under wraps for years. It has now been revealed that former Finance Chairman Lalith Vithana, who was at one point responsible for overseeing proper financial conduct, is also among those who benefited from these unauthorised claims.
Notably, The Morning Telegraph began its exposé of these irregularities as early as October 2023.
In what many now see as an escape from accountability, both Lalith Vithana and Major General (Rtd) Dampath Fernando resigned shortly thereafter, though their names have now resurfaced, confirming that the adage, “you can run, but you can’t hide,” rings true.
At the top of the list of misappropriations is suspended Secretary General Maxwell de Silva, who claimed a staggering Rs. 4,911,001, followed by resigned Treasurer Gamini Jayasinghe (Rs. 3,907,161) and Major General (Rtd) Dampath Fernando (Rs. 3,030,236). Others surpassing the Rs. 1 million mark include recently suspended Assistant Secretary Chandana Liyanage (Rs. 2,157,202) and Nishantha Piyasena (Rs. 1,672,621). Lalith Vithana (Rs. 124,409) and now resigned Vice President Suranjith Premadasa (Rs.161,500) also feature on the list.
Further scrutiny reveals that three non-Executive Committee individuals were also on the NOCSL’s payout roster: DIG (Rtd) Sunith Edirisinghe (Rs. 115,823), Chandana Perera (Rs. 77,215), and Kuragama (Rs.1,265,550).
These revelations further tarnish the reputation of Maxwell de Silva, who was previously exposed for double-dipping by claiming US$ 10,000 from Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Sports to cover his expenses for the 2016 Rio Olympics despite receiving an identical amount from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the same purpose. He only returned the funds to the Ministry of Sports after being found out and publicly exposed. Adding to the controversy, de Silva reportedly turned the official tour into a family vacation, traveling to Rio with his wife and two children and staying at a luxury five-star hotel for nearly three weeks. This lavish trip, which was virtually funded by the NOCSL account, is estimated to have cost the NOCSL an additional Rs. 3 million.
Although none of the individuals implicated currently serve on the Executive Committee, they continue to wield significant influence over the majority of the 31 affiliated sports associations. This enduring control has reportedly obstructed the long-overdue Forensic Financial Audit, which was officially proposed and minuted during the 2021 NOCSL Annual General Meeting. Despite being reaffirmed and approved once again at the 2023 AGM, the process has faced further delays, this time due to alleged manipulation, with the approval reportedly being misrepresented in the official meeting minutes, raising serious concerns about transparency and intent.
If the current revelations are only the tip of the iceberg, the forthcoming Forensic Financial Audit Report could expose far more serious breaches, potentially reshaping the public’s understanding of the scale of corruption and misgovernance embedded within Sri Lanka’s Olympic structure.
In a bid to restore credibility and integrity to the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL), President Suresh Subramaniam has taken decisive steps by appointing a panel of respected professionals including Indrajit Fernando, Jivan Gunatilleke, Laxman Athukorala, Prithi Perera, and Deva Henry to the Executive Committee. This new leadership signals a crucial turning point, replacing individuals tainted by scandal with those committed to transparency and good governance, while offering renewed hope to Sri Lankan athletes that their efforts will finally be met with the genuine support they deserve. Furthermore the IOC in a letter has also made it clear that all dealings pertaining to the day to day operational functions of the NOCSL will lie solely with its President Suresh Subramaniam.
IOC and OCA Justified in Halting Funds to Sri Lanka Amid Governance Concerns
In a glaring decision the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Council of Asia were absolutely correct in immediately cutting off funds to Sri Lanka after they got wind that much fraud and corruption were taking place under the suspended Secretary General Maxwell De Silva and his accomplices, who made up the majority of the NOCSL Executive Committee. Both the IOC and the OCA have stated that the suspended funds would be released only once all corrupt officials have left the Executive Committee.
Chaos Deepens at Sri Lanka’s Olympic Committee Amid Fresh Suspension and Boycott
The crisis within the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) intensified this week following the suspension of Assistant Secretary Chandana Liyanage over serious allegations of misconduct, financial impropriety, and constitutional violations. Incidentally he was also the Chairman Procurement Committee. His removal, announced in a formal letter by NOCSL President Suresh Subramaniam on April 8, triggered significant unrest, including a widespread boycott by members that forced the adjournment of a scheduled Special General Meeting (SGM) that was scheduled to be held last Wednesday due to lack of quorum.
The adjourned Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL), initially scheduled for December 30, 2024, has been rescheduled to April 17, 2025, following the failure to hold the April 9 meeting due to a lack of quorum. Observers note that individuals who have previously benefited from financial irregularities remain staunchly opposed to the proposed forensic audit, fearing exposure. As the saying goes, “those with something to hide resist the truth.”
Notably, the boycott of the SGM was driven by Sri Lanka Gymnastics Federation President Premnath C. Dolawatte, a person reportedly rejected by the public at the parliamentary level General Elections and a person lacking any athletic background. Dolawatte was appointed to his role solely due to his friendship with ex-Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe. Critics have labeled his appointment as unmerited and politically motivated. Also spearheading resistance to the Financial Forensic Audit is Jeewantha, who incidentally was suspended by the Ministry of Sports over alleged financial misappropriation that took place within the National Gymnastics Association of Sri Lanka.
They were joined by Nishantha Piyasena, who operates a so-called “Paper Federation” under the guise of Modern Pentathlon, a body with no active athletes. According to internal reports, he allegedly received Rs. 1.5 million from suspended Secretary General Maxwell de Silva under the pretense of promoting the sport. Sources claim the funds were misappropriated between the two.
Adding further controversy, Maxwell de Silva has been actively contacting his network, promising coveted appointments including positions at the LA 2028 Olympics and Commonwealth Games in exchange for their support in obstructing the forensic audit. These developments underscore the urgent need for transparency and decisive action to restore integrity within Sri Lanka’s Olympic movement.
The timing of Chandana Liyanage’s suspension just a day before the Special General Meeting (SGM) sparked backlash from a majority of the NOCSL’s membership, as multiple investigations into his conduct are set to be carried out by the NOCSL’s appointed Ethics Committee. Liyanage was suspended with the support of a majority of the Executive Committee, in full compliance with the constitutional procedures of the NOCSL.
This latest development comes amid an ongoing governance crisis that has engulfed the organization for over a year. Liyanage’s suspension follows that of former Secretary General Maxwell de Silva, who was removed earlier due to accusations of serious financial misconduct and breaches of governance. That suspension was part of a wider clampdown that saw Treasurer Gamini Jayasinghe and Vice President Suranjith Premadasa resign following pressure from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), both of which had frozen funding to Sri Lanka pending reforms.
According to Subramaniam’s letter, Liyanage’s suspension stems from four key charges. He is accused of collaborating with the already-suspended de Silva in “unethical activities,” overseeing financial irregularities while serving as chairman of the NOCSL Procurement Committee, and unlawfully accepting per diem payments for attending international sporting events including the 2018 and 2023 Asian Games, the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games in violation of Article 25 of the NOCSL Constitution.
Perhaps most damaging is the charge that Liyanage breached protocol by directly corresponding with the International Olympic Committee’s governance chief Jerome Poivey on December 4, 2024. This, Subramaniam argues, contravenes Article 15(1), which reserves all official communication with international bodies to the President. Incidentally Liyanage who also served the country’s top apparel company Brandix was also shown the exit after allegedly huge financial irregularities were discovered.
Audit Uncovers Deep-Rooted Financial Mismanagement and Governance Failures at NOCSL
Meanwhile, in a scathing audit released by Sri Lanka’s Auditor General, the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Sri Lanka has come under fire for widespread financial mismanagement, unauthorized expenditures, and serious lapses in governance. The report, which scrutinized the NOCSL’s operations for the year 2023, highlights alarming irregularities that threaten the credibility of the body tasked with nurturing the country’s Olympic talent.
The findings come as Sri Lanka faces mounting pressure from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which imposed financial sanctions on the NOCSL in December 2024. A complete suspension of the NOC’s IOC membership remains a real possibility if reforms are not swiftly enacted.
One of the most damning revelations was the ineffectiveness of the NOCSL’s athlete scholarship programme for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Despite disbursing over Rs. 53 million from 2022 to 2024, none of the scholarship recipients qualified for the Games. Conversely, the six athletes who did compete in Paris received no financial assistance from the programme, raising serious questions about its purpose and execution.
The audit details several cases of unauthorized and unaccountable spending. Over Rs. 15 million was spent on overseas training for an athlete in preparation for the 2023 Asian Games without necessary approvals from the executive committee, the sports ministry, or the national federation. The athlete in question failed to qualify. In another instance, a retired weightlifter received an advance of $1,430 (about Rs. 465,000) for a sports education programme abroad. Not only was the payment made without the consent of the Weightlifting Federation, but the individual also never returned to Sri Lanka and has not repaid the funds.
Mismanagement of grants was also cited. Member grants amounting to Rs. 5.4 million and additional payments totaling Rs. 5.27 million due to 18 National Sports Associations were never distributed. Meanwhile, leased properties under the NOCSL’s management resulted in unpaid dues Rs. 2.7 million from a gym tenant and Rs. 3.8 million from a restaurant operator. Even after collecting Rs. 683,000 for a bar license renewal, the NOCSL failed to follow through with the necessary formalities.
The audit raised concerns over duplicate and inflated legal costs. While an external legal consultant was retained for Rs. 935,000, the NOCSL spent a staggering Rs. 6.87 million on other external legal services related to the same issues. Additionally, Rs. 1.6 million was spent on gifts and donations to athletes and officials without any approved framework.
Long-overdue receivables from the Cycling Federation (Rs. 271,800) and the Baseball/Softball Federations (Rs. 720,047) remain uncollected for more than three years. Meanwhile, despite receiving Rs. 7.1 million from the IOC to draft a strategic plan for 2023–2028, the NOCSL spent Rs. 9.24 million on the plan, which remained incomplete by the end of 2023.
Perhaps the most troubling issue involves the delegation sent to the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Out of 176 participants, six were included without the Sports Minister’s approval. Fourteen members of the delegation failed to return to Sri Lanka, while the NOC had spent over Rs. 9.29 million on 12 individuals during the year. Both the former Secretary General Maxwell De Silva and Treasurer Gamini Jayasinghe are supposed to have played key roles in this saga which are currently being investigated by government agencies.
These findings have sent shockwaves through Sri Lanka’s sports community, particularly among athletes gearing up for future international competitions. As trust in the NOC continues to erode, the audit underscores the urgent need for structural reforms, greater transparency, and stricter oversight to prevent further damage to the country’s sporting legacy.
