Football Sri Lanka (FSL) is in danger of being shown the red card if it fails to hold the annual election of office-bearers before May 31 as directed by the Department of Sports Development (DSD).
FSL president Jaswar Umar attempted to continue in office for four years citing an amendment to the Sports Law in 2017 when he was elected for a term of only one year at the annual general meeting (AGM) held in June 2021.
He even got the approval of 53 members of the FSL at an unprecedented Council meeting held in Jaffna on the sidelines of a provincial football tournament in February to seek the consent of the Sports Ministry.
However, the Director-General of DSD Amal Edirisooriya reiterated that elections held last year were only for a one-year term as enshrined in the FSL constitution.
But the FSL seems to be running out of time to hold the AGM before the May 31 deadline since there are frantic moves to hold a Special General Meeting later this month to amend the Constitution.
Kalutara Football League president Dr Manil Fernando has warned there is a real danger of the FSL being outlawed by the world governing body of the sport, FIFA if the football administration is taken over by any government authority.
“The Annual General Meeting should be announced 45 days in advance. The Director-General of the Department of Sports Development has informed in writing that the election of football officials should be held within a year. All gazette notifications regarding the two years have been cancelled,” said Dr Fernando who has consistently pointed out the lack of transparency in administration and governance in the FSL.
He had even brought to the notice of then Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa the unconstitutional manner in which the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) was held in December for which prior notice had not been given. Similarly, he had raised objections at the convening of the Council meeting in February where adequate time was not given for members to study the Annual Statement of Accounts for the year ended 2021 which was presented at this meeting.
“I wish to state that we (The Council) have not passed a single monthly account since February 2021. Without studying the monthly accounts and knowing the monthly management accounts of the FSL it is unethical and unwarranted to adopt the annual accounts for 2021,” he stated in a letter to the FSL and Sports Ministry.
Among other matters, he said the FSL presented a three-month budget at the end of February. “We should have an annual budget, and this budget should be sent to all the members to study before finalizing it at an ExCo or Council meeting,” he said. His plea for the draft of proposed FSL constitutional amendments to be sent to the member leagues has also been disregarded.
The biggest concern is the deficit of approximately Rs 197 million in the statement of the annual accounts for 2021 as compared to the surplus of Rs 171 million carried forward in 2020. This was despite FSL receiving Rs 315 million from FIFA last year. “Rs 245 million has been spent in 2021 more than the previous year creating a debt burden of Rs 197 million. If this continues, the Federation will be in big trouble just like the country’s economy,” said Dr Fernando.
A staggering Rs 134 million is reflected as expenditure for the four-nation Prime Minister’s Trophy tournament, even more than what was spent for the inaugural Super League (Rs 116 million).
Dr Fernando is virtually waging a lone crusade in his endeavour to ensure transparency in FSL administration but he is literally in the dark about where Sri Lanka football is heading. Having lost by a slender margin to Umar in his bid to become FSL president the last time, Dr Fernando claims he is being asked to come forward even by those who voted against him.
“One man is running the show. Others are just puppets. They thought that I will do that when I became president. I will have the right people in the right positions doing the work,” he said, deflecting allegations he will run FSL like a dictator or be a puppet of his father Manilal Fernando.
“I’m not a dictator. Even in the theatre, when I am operating before I do something I ask my assistant, the nurse. I still do what I want but I want my team to be happy. I am the captain of the ship but there is always a team behind me. We all have to agree that we are operating on the right patient, right side, and right surgery. After that only I start. Similarly in football, I will have the right people, in the right committee, in the right departments, only then it will function,” said Dr Fernando, a renowned orthopaedic surgeon.
“The next allegation that I will be a puppet to my father, that my father is behind me. I was never a puppet to my father. Even when my father was there (president), I was the only one to argue. I used to disagree. The way I think things should be done and the way my father thinks how it should be done are a little bit different but he is more experienced. If there is some problem in my business of course I will get some advice from him but in football, I can’t because of his suspension. Even he is telling me not to contest and get a bad name. I don’t need this. I don’t need an air ticket to travel in business class. I can travel on my own,” said Dr Fernando who is also Honorary Consul of Latvia.
“Honestly, I have not thought about contesting because firstly an election has not been declared and there are more pressing concerns in the country than football. I want to help people who are struggling without gas and spiralling costs,” said the genial doctor.
However, he could not resist taking a dig at the FSL president who is also chairman of the Finance Committee.
“Jaswar is not accountable to his ExCo, to his Council. He showed a cancelled gazette and got 53 people to say he can wait for two years. I don’t care if he waits for two years if he is eligible. He is utilising the finances of the FSL like his personal funds. There are more people who are more qualified in finances in the ExCo. They should be asking him the necessary questions,” he said.