Former NOC Secretary withdraws case challenging his ban
Former Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) Maxwell de Silva, who was banned for five years from holding any office at the NOCSL, has withdrawn his case before the Court of Appeal challenging his initial suspension from office.
De Silva was suspended on January 10, 2025 by the Ministry of Sports over abuse of power and challenged the Minister’s decision before NOCSL banned him in May.
De Silva had petitioned the court seeking writs of certiorari and prohibition against Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage and senior NOC officials, arguing the Minister had no legal authority to suspend him. The case, filed as CA Writ 25/2025, was scheduled for argument on September 4 and 11. But in a motion filed on September 1, his lawyers informed the Court that he was “not desirous of proceeding with this matter any further” and requested permission to withdraw the application.
Filing the case, de Silva denied the allegations, calling them politically motivated. He argued that the suspension was unlawful since the NOC is an autonomous body under the Olympic Charter and free from ministerial interference. The Court of Appeal had agreed to hear the matter but refused to grant de Silva an interim injunction, meaning he remained suspended while proceedings continued.