Minister accuses Shammi of issuing threats

Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe stressing a point to the media

By Susil Premalal

Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe said that he had received threats from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Shammi Silva and National Sports Council Director Sudhath Chandrasekara in a new turn of events between the two parties.

The Sports Minister made these observations during a special media conference held in Colombo yesterday. 

Ranasinghe said that he has already complained to the CID about the threats made by Shammi and Sudhath due to the current crisis between the two parties regarding the cricket administration in Sri Lanka.

This is the first time in the political history of this country that a cabinet minister has been threatened.

“We can come after you, or you can come to us Shammi and Sudhath said in a kind of threat, and after filing a CID complaint, he requested the government and the security forces to increase his security,” said Ranasinghe. “The SLC President has misled the ICC authorities by sending three political letters to the International Cricket Council (ICC) on November 6, 7, and 9 without the approval of the Executive Committee.” “It is the biggest ‘black spot’ in the history of Sri Lanka Cricket, and it is also the biggest betrayal in the history of cricket,” said the Sports Minister.

“The Parliament appointed the COPE to trap the cricket thieves.  But now it seems that the COPE Committee has become a movie scene after getting hold of the crooks,” Minister stressed.

Ranasinghe added that he has not received instructions from anyone to resign, and without that, he has no plans to switch parties or sit in the opposition, and his only aim is to curb corruption in national sports associations.