Malinga given six month suspended sentence and 50% fine

Lasith Malinga has been issued a six-month suspended sentence and 50% fine of his match fee for breach of tour contract.

Malinga was found guilty of the charges by a three-member committee after comparing the country's sports minister to a monkey.

Sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekara told Sri Lanka's players were too fat after they failed to reach the Champions Trophy semi-finals.

Malinga, 33, responded by saying he did not care for criticism "from those who are simply warming chairs". "What does a monkey know about a parrot's nesting hollow?" he added. "This is like a monkey getting into a parrot's nest and talking about it."

Malinga had tendered a formal apology.

“The special inquiry panel comprised of SLC Hony. Secretary Mr. Mohan de Silva and SLC Chief Executive Officer Ashley de Silva and Chairman Disciplinary Committee Mr. Asela Rekawa AAL, found the player guilty of breach of contract after an inquiry held this afternoon at SLC Headquarters where Malinga accepted the charges levelled against him and tendered a formal apology,” a board statement said.

The finding were subsequently reported to a specially convened Executive Committee this evening, who imposed a sentence of a 1 Year suspension, suspended by six months (whereby the punishment would be imposed in the event of a similar infraction within the stipulated 6 month period) and a 50% fine of his next ODI match fee.