Audit General HM Gamini Wijesinghe revealed yesterday that financial misdeeds in some sports associations could be on par with any form of governmental-type corruption while claiming that there is no financial transparency whatsoever.
He made the remarks at a Sports Law revision discussion held at the Duncan White Auditorium yesterday.
“There is no transparency in the financial reports of most national sports federations.
This is what I have discovered when it came to auditing”, said Wijesinghe in the presence of Sports Minister Faiser Mushtapha and Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardena.
“If we analyze what is happening to sports in Sri Lanka at the moment, I believe that people in the hierarchy who have been given the responsibility to take care of sports are on the contrary engaged in a mission to destroy sports in this country. We have to identify the problem and arrive at a solution”, added Wijesinghe.
Wijesinghe said he was in the process of publishing a book documenting financial misconduct and other matters in order to create a healthy climate for sports administration.
He hopes the book will be the ultimate guideline for good governance in sports. “We should maintain financial discipline and transparency in sports bodies and I believe that for this to become a reality only those with expert and honest financial knowledge should hold the post of treasurer in all sports bodies”, said Wijesinghe.
He said most financial documents that reach him were questionable.
“We are dealing with public funds and these audited statements must be put out on the internet as the public have a right to know”, said Wijesinghe.
Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardena said he was in total agreement with Wijesinghe and a person who fails to submit a financial report should be excluded from seeking office in sports controlling bodies in accordance with the law.
Dharmawardena said he was aware of sports associations violating the laws.