Sri Lanka cricket apologies to cricket fans over Sooriyawewa assault

Colombo (News 1st) - Sri Lanka Cricket today apologized over the assault of cricket fans outside the Sooriyawewa International Cricket Stadium during the second ODI between Sri Lanka and West Indies yesterday. President of Sri  Lanka Cricket Shammi Silva speaking to the media noted that they did not predict that around 9,000 people would arrive at the same time and expressed regret over the incident that occurred on Wednesday (Feb 26). While noting that such a situation will not happen in the future, Shammi apologised to the spectators. When News 1st repeatedly raised questions over the incident, Shammi Silva noted that they have commenced an internal investigation adding that justice will be served. He also took time to criticise our media network. ".. I am aware that your channel allocates air time to criticize the SLC. That is why we apologized if a mistake had happened. We bear the entire blame for this. If incidents of this nature happen in future we will bear the entire responsibility for that as well. We will not shirk our responsibility. We work according to a set of principles, and not based on how you want us to work. Unlike other channels, it is only your channel that criticizes everything the SLC does.." - Shammi Silva, President - SLC The apology rendered by the SLC President should be appreciated. However, this will not stop us from exposing the corrupt activities of individuals and politicians who benefit from the money of the people. We will expose them constantly as it is the responsibility that the people have entrusted on us. There is an important matter that we wish to remind the SLC President. Shammi Silva might have forgotten the efforts undertaken by our institution to raise the standards of cricket to the global level at a time when this sport was not popular. We wish to remind you that we will continue to expose the manner in which the income that should be enjoyed by the entire nations is being used for the benefit of certain individuals. Will you provide the same answer, regarding the matter pertaining to the broadcasting rights and the 187,084.075 US dollars that the country should receive and the response of the current rights holder? What is the explanation that you have, when SONY claimed that the conduct of SLC is not transparent with regard to the above mentioned financial matter? Who will bear the responsibility for the losses incurred by SLC as a result of the mechanism to recruit coaches and the case filed by a national coach seeking compensation? Who will bear the responsibility of the losses amounting to 339,025 US dollars, which had been concealed when it was questioned at Parliament? Who will bear responsibility for the losses and financial irregularities which were exposed through the forensic audit carried out into awarding local broadcasting rights? Who will bear responsibility for the transactions involving foreign accounts which had taken place in violation of foreign exchange, after setting up an institution named Cricket Aid? Who will bear responsibility for the financial losses incurred as a result of transforming a proposed cricket university into a training institution? What is the response that you have to our revelation on how the fixtures of the limited-overs cricket tournament had been changed in a haphazard manner? Can SLC be raised from the status that it is currently in, by threatening the media and assaulting cricket spectators instead of responding to these allegations? We believe that the SLC President can learn a few lessons from the remarks made by the Prime Minister today. "...We express regret over the incident which spectators were assaulted. I feel that it is the mistake of the SLC which led to this incident. The manner in which young cricket fans were assaulted after being granted an opportunity to watch matches, is unacceptable ..." - PM Mahinda Rajapaksa