17 FFSL Ex-Co members demand meeting
 Seventeen members of the Executive Committee of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) has made a written request addressed to the incumbent President and Secretary General calling for a Executive Committee Meeting. The letter, dated May 5, 2017, has been copied to the Minster of Sports, Dayasiri Jayasekara, the Secretary of the Ministry of Sports and the Director General of Department of Sports.
According to sources, the letter with 18 subjects mentioned to be discussed, has not been replied so far by the FFSL President Anura de Silva or its Secretary General, Balendra Anthony. Upon a quarry made by the Sunday Times, Anthony confirmed that he received a copy of the letter on Friday.
“I and the President of FFSL will meet on Monday to discuss on the letter signed by 17 Executive Committee members and the subjects they have drawn our attention in. Definitely they will receive a response after Monday,” Anthony told the Sunday Times.
According to the letter the signatories have outlined the decisions taken in the recent times by the FFSL President without proper approval from its Executive Committee, which they state as a clear breach of constitutional clauses.
“This is request to call for Executive Committee Meeting, since only one Executive Committee was held during the last 06 months. We observed that the President carry out the activities of FFSL without the approval of the Executive Meeting, which is an unconstitutional act. Hence we strongly demand for a Executive Committee Meeting, since all its members are held responsible for the activities carried out by the FFSL,” the letter states.
Among the 18 subjects pointed out to be discussed according to the letter are: Resignation of Marketing and Media Director, Sponsorship Issues (revenue shortfalls as a result), Activity Plans (FA Cup, Champions League etc), U-23, U-16 and U-19 AFC Competitions and SAFF U-15 and U-18 Competitions, National Team Progress, Budget Deficit (Rs. 55 Million+ on account of Cargills, contract cancellation), Management Accounts for the months of January to April 2017, Non submission of FIFA Forward Programme, Progress of the Kelaniya Training Centre, Progress of the Artificial Turf and Parametre Wall of Baddegana Training Centre, Payments due to lawyers related to the court case of Baddegana Training Centre, Visit of FIFA Audit Team, Appointment of the Election Committee, Date of Opening and Closing for nominations for elections, Audit Queries raised by Auditor General Department for the year 2016, New Recruitment without knowledge of Finance and Executive Committees, Current and Future Financial Status of FFSL and Any Other Important Matters.
The letter is signed by four Vice Presidents K.P.P. Pathirana, Brigadier H.D.W. Kariyawasam, Naleen Silva, Robert Peiris and committee members Sagara Piyathilake (Asst. Treasurer), Ranjith Rodrigo (Chairman, Deputy Finance), Group Captain S.D. Kotage (Competitions), Nimal Wickremathunghe (Chairman Referees), Rahula Siriwardena (Chairman Ethics), Sudharma Jayawardena (Chairperson, Women’s Football), Upali Hewage (Chairman, Youth and Junior Projects), Trevor Reckerman (Chairman, Marketing and Sponsorships), Captain H.D. Gamage (Chairman, Training Centre Development and Management), Chamath Jayasekara (Chairman, Legal), Air Vice Marshall R.A. Dayapala (Chairman, Disciplinary), Lakshman Hewapanne (Member) and Lalith Kumara (Member). The Executive Committee of FFSL consist of 27 members in total.
The FFSL had to call off an Emergency Council Meeting scheduled for April 30 at the Main Auditorium of the Football House after majority of Football League representatives collectively raised an objection, calling it an unconstitutional act. The Minister of Sports later stated that it would conduct a thorough investigation on the happening.