Kumar Sangakkara wants politics out of Si Lankan cricket
SRI Lanka star Kumar Sangakkara has welcomed the ICC directive requiring all national boards to be elected without political interference.
His call came just days after Sri Lanka’s sports minister said he had forced the national cricket board committee to step down following allegations of financial mismanagement.
Sri Lanka co-hosted the 2011 World Cup and were left with a $US69 million ($64.38m) bill, with media reports suggesting that mismanagement by Sri Lanka Cricket had been responsible for cost over-runs.
“We have to aspire to better administration,” said Sangakkara in the text of his MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture delivered at Lord’s today.
“The administration needs to adopt the same values enshrined by the team over the years: integrity, transparency, commitment and discipline,” added Sangakkara, the first active cricketer to deliver the lecture, who on Sunday played at Lord’s in the Sri Lanka side that beat England by six wickets in the third one-day international.
“Unless the administration is capable of becoming more professional, forward-thinking and transparent then we risk alienating the common man,” said Sangakkara, who stepped down as Sri Lanka captain after the World Cup final defeat by India in Mumbai in April.
“Indeed, this is already happening. Loyal fans are becoming increasingly disillusioned… It is their passion that powers cricket and if they turn their backs on cricket then the whole system will come crashing down.
“The solution to this may be the ICC taking a stand to suspend member boards with any direct detrimental political interference and allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
“This will negate the ability to field representative teams or receive funding and other accompanying benefits from the ICC.
“But as a Sri Lankan I hope we have the strength to find the answers ourselves.”
There was a controversial start to the one-day series, where Sri Lanka are 2-1 in front with two to play, when veteran batsman Sanath Jayasuriya, now an MP in Sri Lanka’s governing party, was allowed to play in The Oval opener, which the tourists lost, as a final match before his retirement despite having been out of the team for nearly two years prior to the tour of England.
Last week the ICC gave all member boards until its next meeting in June 2012 to implement the new ruling and a further 12 months – to June 2013 – before any sanctions will be considered.
The lecture was inaugurated in 2001 in memory of the late former England captain Colin Cowdrey.
Although it is more than 40 years since MCC ceased to run English cricket, it has retained worldwide responsibility for the sport’s rules or Laws.
AFP
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Sanga has really done our nation proud. His speech at the MCG was well timed especially with all the bad propoghanda from channel 4 which was also aired in Australia last night I believe. He did cover all aspects of the country not only cricket.
I hope the rest of the world & our people will get the meaessage that there has been enough suffering in the country and go forward towards a united sri lanka so that our children and grand children can have a safe & comfortable life. Whether we like it or not the Sri lankan govt and our soldiers will be branded as barbarians around the world after viewing the footage from channel 4 and it will take a lot to change the fikle minds of the westerners. But what we can do is to forget Race,Relegion and live like brothers and sisters.
Well done Sanga. We need more leaders like you.
Yes Gama… But We must forget & fuck off USELESS religions only..!
Otherwise SL has no future without the buddhism. Actualy buddhism is the theory of existance & non existance, although we call it as a religion..!
Then Gama.. Good man yourself as you think abt your children & grand children too. Because even your grand grand fathers or mothers haven’t thought so when they go under slavery of west 100yrs ago…!
Bravo Sanga, You hit the nail!
Amda. Sri Lanka is not a communist country. You can not Fuck off any religion as put by you. So what about the Sinhala population who are non buddist. Are we going to eradicate them or get them converted to buddish at gun point. If a man wants belive in a tree then that is his wish in a free country. Or are we now a communist country???
The Hon Minister for Sports has institued an enquiry on this speech within hours of it being delivered.
End of the road for Capt Kumar S; he is free to participate full time in the IPL.
Gama… Actualy socialism or communism may not accept with the theory of existance(buddhism). And no one can connect buddhism with fucking gun point too.
Then any religion will be fucked off if they follow bad conduct. That’s the real human right to live in peace. No one has right to believe on what is harmful for beings..!
So all people must try to understand the things as they’re, despite the calling names of them. Otherwise they’ll end up only in SELF UNDOING…!!!
Well said Kumar… You had the courage to do that.. and we’ll proud since you are one of us… All the best
Sanga you’re not just a cricketer . I wish our politicians had at least a bit of your courage ,wisdom ,loyalty ,love for the country (not for one religion or race )and the passion. All Sri Lankans should rally arond SANGAKKARA so that the game is not limited to the elite schools. I myself witnessed a couple of scool cricketers who didn’t have a chance because they represented outstation schools.
Amdan, please wake up i am not a buddhist but most of my friends are.Beeing a sri lankan i have been greatly influenced by Buddhism.I have taught in Muslim,Hindu and Christian schools. I did’nt see anything different in us.
Please stop thinking in a primitive way . Don’t be prejudised.Think like Sanga and Murali.
Amdeen,
As I told you earlier that you are not eligible to post your comments at onlanka.com. In fact, your fowl language and premitive religioous thinking are really annoying others. If you really wants to talk about Buddism it is better to go Buddist temple and do your preeches there.
Good luck
Roshan
Phillip You are absolutely right.I don’t see any diiference in any person because of which relegion he or she is. It the words and actions that make a good person or bad person.
Gamaya and Philip i can see that you are right thinking men with education, Unfortunately we cannot say so about some people who leave comments on this website !!! I would like to ask this Amden person what right he has to use foul language and write prejudiced comments on a public website, who the hell are you to judge other people’s beliefs ??? Who the hell are you to propose to F**** off other religions ????? I cannot understand how you must be thinking to do that anyway !!!????? Sri Lanka is a free country and we can believe in who or what we like,,, YOU should take a cold shower and go and jump in the sea for all we care and better still before you do that go and get yourself a good English Education because your English is terrible and makes me laugh !!!!