Director General Dr. Shemal Must Resign – Here’s Why?
Under the leadership of Dr. Shemal Fernando, Director General of Sports Development, the sports sector in Sri Lanka is facing a crisis of governance, with Sports Law violations and allegations of corruption mounting at an alarming rate.
Despite being appointed by the previous Ranil-Rajapaksa regime, DG Dr. Fernando remains in his position under the current National People’s Power (NPP) government, raising concerns about his ability to align with the administration’s vision for good governance.
His incompetence, coupled with the disturbing revelations surrounding his involvement in multiple controversies, makes a compelling case for his resignation.
Ignoring Sports Law Violations
Dr. Fernando has repeatedly failed to address blatant violations of Sri Lanka’s Sports Law, allowing corrupt practices to flourish under his watch.
Here are just a few examples of violators who continue to operate without consequence:
Maxwell De Silva – Secretary General of the NOCSL, who holds additional executive positions in Teqball and Dance Sport.
Gamini Jayasinghe -Treasurer of the NOCSL, with executive roles in Teqball, Dance Sport, and Winter Sports.
Suranjith Premadasa – Vice President of the NOCSL, running a private horse-riding business, while also serving as President of the Equestrian Association, both registered at his residence.
Shirantha Peiris – President of the National Shooting Sport Federation, also running a private shooting business, both registered to the same address.
Dilroy Fernando – Despite being banned from holding any office at SLR in the past, he was appointed as the Tournament Event Coordinator by the Ministry of Sports’ at the recently concluded Sports Fiesta, where the sport of rugby was included as an event.
Sudath Sampath – Currently serving as Chairman of the National Rugby Selection Committee, while also holdinga post as an advisor to Sri Lions Rugby.
The fact of the matter is that Dr. Fernando has the authority to enforce Sports Law and hold these individuals accountable, but his failure to act has only perpetuated corruption and conflict of interest, eroding the integrity of Sri Lanka’s sports governance.
The Sri Lions Rugby Scandal
Meanhwile, one of the most concerning controversies under Dr. Fernando’s tenure is his mishandling of the Sri Lions Rugby team’s elevation to the ‘A’ Division, despite numerous allegations of fielding ineligible players during the tournament. There are serious questions regarding the legitimacy of Sri Lions’ ‘B’ Division win, with multiple complaints from Air Force Rugby accusing the team of fielding players contracted with other clubs like CR & FC and CH & FC. Despite these complaints being lodged in February 2024, Tournament Director Shamrath Fernando failed to present them to the SLR Council, and no inquiry was conducted.
To make matters worse, even though the inquiry was still ongoing, Sri Lions were declared the winners, sparking accusations of favoritism and manipulation.
In 1991, a precedent was set during the R. Premadasa Schools Rugby Knockout Final when Isipatana College defeated S. Thomas’ College. Despite winning the championship, the trophy was later awarded to S. Thomas’ College after Isipatana was found guilty of fielding an overaged player. Critics now argue that a similar outcome could apply to the current ‘B’ Division rugby scandal. If Sri Lions are found guilty of the alleged violations, the trophy, despite initially being awarded to them, could rightfully be handed over to the Police Griffins.
Now, six months later, the inquiry report remains incomplete whilst DG Dr. Fernando continues to push for Sri Lions’ promotion to the ‘A’ Division, raising further concerns about the transparency of the decision-making process.
Financial Irregularities: The Sri Lions Sponsorship Scandal
Further adding to the scandal is the lack of transparency surrounding Sri Lions’ sponsorship of the Sri Lanka Youth Rugby Team’s tour of Malaysia. While the Sri Lions logo appeared on the team’s jerseys, the sponsorship funds were never deposited into the SLR account, raising serious concerns about financial mismanagement, yet again under the DG Dr. Fernando’s watch.
Even an attempt to seek clarification was made when I.P.Wijeratne the Director Sports was contacted at the Ministry of Sports. However he said that he is not in a position to provide any details, as he needed to speak to DG Dr. Fernando first to verify these queries, prior to providing an answer. He is yet to provide any answers.
Key questions that remain unanswered:
Was there a formal sponsorship contract signed between Sri Lions and DG Dr.Fernando?
What were the terms of the sponsorship deal?
How much was the sponsorship deal worth?
Sri Lions Questionable Appointments
In addition to the financial irregularities, even the selection of officials for international rugby tours has raised suspicions of favoritism. Rajeew Perera, a Sri Lions official, was selected as Head Coach for the Sri Lanka Youth Under-18 tour of Malaysia, and Sujani Ratnayaka, Sri Lions Director of Rugby, was selected to manage the Women’s Team for the Asian Rugby Sevens Tournament.
Moreover, Bhanuka Nanayakkara traveled as Assistant Coach, despite not being approved by the Ministry of Sports to go on this tour. Nevertheless he was pictured at the grounds and seen with the team and other officials.
These instances point to a troubling lack of transparency in the appointment process.
DG Dr. Shemal’s Suppression of Corruption Reports: The NOCSL Scandal
In a further troubling development, Dr. Shemal Fernando has been implicated in suppressing a critical 24-page report that detailed allegations of fraud and corruption within the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL). The report, completed in February 2024 by a three-man committee appointed by the Ministry of Sports, focused on the corrupt activities of the former NOCSL President Hemasiri Fernando and the current Secretary General Maxwell De Silva. It is now clear that DG Dr. Fernando, was working closely with former Sports Minister Harin Fernando, and his legal advisor Chandimal Mendis, who were complicit in shielding these officials from accountability.
It wasn’t until the ousting of the former Minister Harin Fernando as Minister of Sports that DG Dr. Shemal Fernando finally release the 34-page report, which was subsequently handed over to the Ethics Committee of the NOCSL. This led to the Ethics Committee recommending the suspension of Secretary General Maxwell De Silva.
However, Dr. Fernando’s role in the suppression of this report raises serious ethical questions about his commitment to good governance and transparency.
Dr. Shemal Fernando Must Resign
The evidence against Dr. Shemal Fernando is overwhelming. From the suppression of critical reports on corruption to his failure to enforce Sports Law and his involvement in questionable financial dealings, Dr. Fernando’s leadership has proven to be detrimental to Sri Lanka’s sports sector.
His actions (or inaction) not only threaten the progress of the country’s sports governance but also tarnish the NPP’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
For the sake of Sri Lanka’s sporting future, Dr. Shemal Fernando must step down. His resignation is essential to restoring trust, transparency, and integrity within the country’s sports governance. Continuing down this path will only further harm the sector, allowing corruption and mismanagement to flourish unchecked. The time for change is now.
