Is the Ceylon Motor Sports Club bigger than the Sports Law?

By Harsha Amarasinghe

Despite being banned by the Ministry of Sports, the members from the Ceylon Motor Sports Club (CMSC) are reportedly set to contest for Office Bearer positions at the upcoming Annual General Meeting of Sri Lanka Automobile Sports (SLAS).

The CMSC has acted in violation of a regulation as per the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2006/13 published on 13th February 2017, more specifically clause 7 (d) (2) which states “every registered National Association of Sports shall have power to register with their respective international Federation or Association. No other affiliates, clubs and other organizations engaged in particular sports shall be entitled to register with respective international Federation or Association.”

However, “Daily Mirror” understands that despite clear instructions from the Ministry of Sports, CMSC is still holding on to the affiliation with the Federation of International Automobile Sports (FIA) in blatant violation of the Sports Law, which affiliation should be with and given to SLAS – the National Association of the Sport (Parent Body) in Sri Lanka.

The Department of Sports Development last week confirmed that the Ceylon Motor Sports Club has been suspended.

“In line with the Gazette Extraordinary No 2006/13 published on 13th February 2017 and clause 7 (d) (2) of the regulations, Ceylon Motor Sports Club has been suspended as the per the powers vested on the Minister of Sports for holding on to the affiliation for Federation of International Automobile Sports (FIA) instead of giving same to Sri Lanka Automobile Sports which is the national body registered under the Ministry of Sports,” the letter from the Department of Sports Development further states that should the Ceylon Motor Sports Club fail to follow the given instruction, CMSC shall lose its membership in SLAS and will not get any right in relation to the meetings, elections and membership in connection thereof.”

An expert in the field of motor sport told Daily Mirror: “It’s ridiculous what they are doing. Sometimes people do not understand the level of arrogance we witness from the Ceylon Motor Sports Club. It’s like SSC or NCC is representing Sri Lanka instead of SLC (Sri Lanka Cricket) at the ICC (International Cricket Council). The message they are sending out is that ‘okay we don’t care who is the Minister of Sports or what Sports Law has put in place, we just go on our own way. That’s as ridiculous and arrogant as it sounds.”

Daily Mirror contacted the President of Ceylon Motor Sports Club Niroshan Perera but he opted not to make any comments.

“It’s a court case and I do not wish to comment on this. However, the club would make a comment about this matter in the future,” he said.