IOC calls for suspension of NOCSL Secretary General

By Susil Premalal

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has called for the immediate suspension of Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) Maxwell de Silva following the conclusions and the recommendations submitted by the NOC Ethics Committee.

Jerome Poivey, Associate Director, Institutional and Governance Services IOC NOC Relations Department in an email dated November 11, 2024 has urged Suresh Subramaniam, President, NOCSL to convene an urgent meeting of the NOC Executive Board and take appropriate action without any further delay, in accordance with the NOCSL Constitution.

“We understand in particular that your NOC Ethics Committee has reviewed the allegations which have been raised and provided recommendations, which, for unknown reasons, have not yet been considered by your NOC Executive Board,” Poivey said in his letter addressed to Subramaniam.

Poivey also warned the NOCSL that: “These internal governance issues have been seriously damaging the operations and reputation of the NOCSL and it is high time for the NOCSL to act quickly and responsibly in accordance with the NOC Constitution, failing which the IOC will reserve the right to take further action.”

Meanwhile, President, NOCSL, Subramaniam has called on the Executive Board of the NOCSL to implement the recommendations made by the Ethics Committee of the NOCSL against the incumbent Secretary General of the NOCSL Maxwell de Silva.

“I wish to note that the decisions and/or recommendations and/or conclusions reached by the Ethics Committee are made after careful consideration and deliberation. Hence, any reason for not implementing the recommendation of the Ethics Committee in the instant case would need to be possessed of a clear and convincing rationale.”

“I would remind the Executive Board that as the IOC/OCA would be closely monitoring our actions any reasoning provided for refusing to enforce the recommendation of the Ethics Committee should be clearly recorded at the Meeting and would be subject to close scrutiny by the IOC/OCA,” Subramaniam stated.

“As far as I am aware, the Secretary General has not disputed and/or challenged the veracity of the findings contained in the Investigation Report. Thus, it is apparent that the Executive Board is simply obstructing and/or impeding the implementation of the recommendation of the Ethics Committee for reasons best known to them,” Subramaniam added.

“However, in the event that the Executive Board continues to avoid taking necessary action to implement the recommendations of the Ethics Committee, acting with the collateral objective of protecting one individual wielding undue influence over majority of the Executive Board, I will be compelled to act in accordance with the NOCSL Constitution as well as the law of the land and ensure that the said recommendation of the Ethics Committee are forthwith implemented,” stressed Subramaniam.