Sri Lanka Cricket Board batting for bankruptcy?

by Staff Writer 10-06-2019 | 9:59 PM
COLOMBO (News 1st) - "Cricket Age", a sports news website based in India has released an article stating that the Sri Lanka Cricket Board is at the risk of going bankrupt within the next 9 months. The article adds that the insensible decisions of two top-level officials at the Sri Lanka Cricket Board has forced the board into a financial crisis. It further states that the issue has escalated as an outcome of the poor administrative skills of both past and current officials. The report also revealed several key points which led to the upcoming crisis. They are the 30% salary increments given to officials and distribution of ex-gratia payments to several sports clubs. The reports also include a sum of approximately USD 187,084.75 (Rs 33mn) which was due to be received by Sri Lanka Cricket for broadcasting rights, and has not been received. The reports went on to say that the Sri Lankan World cup 2019 anthem cost  Rs. 6 mn. Furthermore, similar to the report by News 1st recently, the article reveals that several officials of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board have purchased 30 tickets in total for 12 different matches (9 Sri Lankan matches included) in the World Cup 2019. The tickets cost from GBP 55 to GBP 295. The minutes of an Executive Committee meeting of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board has revealed that the price of a ticket for the ODI which was held on June 6th was GBP 195 and the initial price mentioned (GBP95) was an error. Therefore, the price of an entrance ticket costs approximately Rs 44,500. At present, reports have emerged that Sri Lanka Cricket has allowed it's executive committee members to travel to the UK for a vacation of one week to witness World Cup matches. Accommodation is provided by the Sri Lanka Cricket Board. Based on an email sent under the instructions of the Secretary of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board, the executive committee members will receive free air tickets, 3 tickets for 3 World Cup matches along with visa fees. Similarly, the Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket has notified via a memo, to issue letters for a group of 37 individuals representing sports clubs, in order to obtain visas to travel to the UK to witness the World Cup matches. However, officials responsible for the selection of these 37 people had not revealed the procedure followed which led to the selections. Officials of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board seem to be spending funds of the board according to their own whims and fancies, against a backdrop where SLC has not released its audit reports to sports clubs, which generally should have been carried out on the 31st of last month. Is it not an obvious fact that the Sri Lanka Cricket Board is facing certain bankruptcy, if its internal activities are being carried out in such an ignorant and disorganised manner?