SLBA mess emits big stink
The Sri Lanka Badminton Association (SLBA), which the Badminton World Federation (BWF) suspended from its membership on Wednesday, dug its own grave and scripted its own fate according to experts from the local sports field.
The BWF finally had come to this decision after months of deliberation, citing two reasons – political interference and an imperfect constitution of SLBA. The latest development is a sign of an approaching storm according to experts which stirred after the Sports Law Act 23 of 1973 was replaced by an amended Sports Regulation, two years ago by the then Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage.
The changes contradicted constitutions of many local sports governing bodies and after months of debate the International Olympic Committee (IOC) interfered to the matter prompting amendments to the new sports regulation. One of the conditions that were agreed by the officials of local sport hierarchy and IOC was to persuade local sports governing bodies to modify their constitutions and get them approved by respective international governing bodies.
“Firstly, the NOC has very little or nothing to do in this regard. The whole responsibility is in the hands of the SLBA and the Ministry of Sports. The SLBA had ample time to amend their constitution and get it sanctioned by the BWF and then proceed with the elections or the AGM. But this never took place; they never seemed to be bothered at all. And they eventually had to face the facts,” said Maxwell de Silva, the General Secretary of NOC.
The SLBA is left with very little option after the slap it got from the BWF, also leaving the future of the potential players and match officials in jeopardy. According to a former top official of SLBA, this is the worse condition a sport governing body could be hit and the blame was put entirely on the Ministry of Sports.
“According to what is heard of it all began after the Ministry of Sports appointed a Competent Authority. He had corresponded with the BWF as the CEO of SLBA and later it was clarified as the CEO of the Ministry of Sports. The BWF still recognises the SLBA under the presidency of Suraj Dandeniya and this may have given them an impression that there is government interference into sports,” the source stated.
The SLBA, however, had futilely attempted to hold its AGM twice between January and May. On both occasions different factions within the SLBA had its AGM thwarted. Experts cry foul on the manner Dandeniya, the incumbent president of SLBA, held office for two years when its constitution states tenure is a period of one year.
“Suraj (Dandeniya) clearly overstayed as the president of SLBA and the new sports law came when he took over office. He had two years to straighten things and put them in order if he really wanted to, because Suraj was one of the persons to advocate on behalf of the new sports law. Then he said the law of the land is above all and now what has happened. As far as I’m concerned the BWF has given the SLBA enough time to react. There were issues with the amended sports law but those are currently on the verge of being cleared off.
The real issue here is the local sports governing bodies failing to modify their respective constitutions and getting them ratified by their global bodies, adhering to the Olympic Charter. With regard to the SLBA constitution, as far as I know, it’s a mess-up and this is an issue about fundamental governance. To sum up there was nothing wrong, the SLBA failed to act promptly and it bounced back on them,” the NOC General Secretary added. De Silva’s claims were evidently confirmed by an official communiqué by Thomas Lund, the General Secretary of BWF, addressed to Dandeniya. It states of SLBA’s failure to reach an accepted consensus to review on its constitution despite 18 months of constant deliberation.
“Further to the correspondence between BWF and SLBA over the last 18 months on the governance of the SLBA, the review of the SLBA Constitution and the independence and autonomy of the SLBA, the BWF has decided, the Clause 13.1 of the BWF Constitution, to suspend the SLBA as a member of the Badminton World Federation, with immediate effect. The BWF has determined that the SLBA Constitution does not meet the criteria for on-going membership of the BWF under Clause 8.3 and 8.10 of the BWF Constitution. Furthermore, it has been determined that the SLBA is not able to govern in an independent and autonomous way as required under Clause 5.2 and 5.3 of the BWF Constitution,” Thomas’ letter states.
Former SLBA President and present Senior Vice President, Parakrama Basnayake told the Sunday Times that the Ministry of Sports should respond to BWF promptly as first step for SLBA to think about the a way out of this situation.
“This did not happen overnight. This was result of lethargy from all sides, the SLBA and the Ministry of Sports. Now the only way out is to modify the SLBA constitution and forward it to BWF for approval. Without getting it done, it will be useless to hold AGMs even hundred times. We as an affiliated body should respond fast to BWF and get matters sorted out. We have their support and we can come out. I’m really worried about the prestige of our players and match officials, who had worked hard to reach the top. Until things are cleared off they will not be able to take part in any event sanctioned by the BWF, which is really sad,” Basnayake stated.The Director General of the Ministry of Sports, K.D.S. Ruwanchandra, who is the Competent Authority of SLBA and 17 other sports governing bodies, stated that a comprehensively amended Sports Regulation would come out very soon, nearly five weeks ago.
The incumbent Minster of Sports, Navin Dissanayake, since taking over office nearly four months ago, has been on a hot seat with constant weight from the international sports governing bodies that urge Sri Lanka to make comprehensive and workable amendments to the existing Sports Law. Over the few months, number of sports governing bodies was given ultimatum by their respective global bodies and BWF become the first of them to slap a local affiliation with a suspension. The decision made by BWF puts certain local sports governing bodies at threat, especially those that come under the IOC Charter.