Image Credit- ICC
According to an SLC announcement, President Shammi
Silva of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) made a “fervent appeal” to the ICC
to “carve out an exception” that would allow Sri Lanka to play
international cricket even after SLC was suspended.
Because the ICC disapproved of government meddling in
Sri Lanka’s cricket administration, the Men’s Under-19 World Cup, originally
scheduled for January of next year, will now be hosted in South Africa. Sri
Lanka was stripped of its hosting rights. However, according to an ICC
statement earlier in the day, the ICC did permit Sri Lanka to carry on playing
international cricket after “hearing representation from SLC”.
“Participating in [the ICC board meeting on
November 21] as an observer, the President of SLC, Mr. Shammi Silva, urged the
ICC board to grant additional time for the Sri Lankan government to rectify the
issue of political interference in cricket,” SLC’s release said.
It continued: “However, the ICC Board, taking
cognizance of similar suspensions imposed by World Rugby and FIFA in response
to political interference, concluded that ample time had already been afforded
to the Sri Lankan government to address and rectify the issue. Consequently,
the ICC board confirmed the suspension of Sri Lanka Cricket.”
But in order to pressure Sri Lanka’s sports minister
Roshan Ranasinghe to abandon his plans to replace the board with a temporary
committee, SLC officials had themselves asked for an ICC suspension. Under the
leadership of former captain Arjuna Ranatunga, this council included former
judges and political sons who had no prior involvement in cricket management.
Silva reaffirmed, among other things, that Sri Lanka
was in danger of losing its rights to host the Men’s Under-19 World Cup at a
press conference conducted by SLC after that suspension. Along with the
personal attacks the minister of sports has made on him in public, he also made
personal attacks on the minister.
According to the ICC’s Articles of Association, there
is no specific definition of what repercussions a suspension carries. Section
2.10 (B) of that document states: “Any suspension of a Member by the Board
of Directors in accordance with Article 2.10 (A) shall be subject to such terms
and conditions as the Board of Directors may determine…”