Geo Sports

Sri Lanka Cricket Board dissolved

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's sports minister dissolved the country's cricket administration Friday amid allegations of corruption and mismanagement. Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage will appoint an interim committee to run the sport, department spokesman Harsha Abeykoon said. Aluthgamage has not announced plans for elections for a new board. Abeykoon said the minister will announce the new administration later Friday. Sri Lanka Cricket has been run by successive interim committees — comprised of people favoured by politicians of the day — for the past seven years. The International Cricket Council unanimously decided at its annual conference this week to amend its laws to make free elections mandatory by 2012. The sacked administration, headed by former national test bowler Somachandra de Silva, has been accused of waste and corruption. Sri Lanka Cricket, once the nation's richest sports body, has debts of more than $15 million after co-hosting the World Cup earlier this year with India and Bangladesh. Sri Lanka Cricket said the construction costs for a new cricket ground near the southern town of Hambantota and upgrades to two existing venues for the World Cup blew out by $11 million to $40 million, creating much of the financial strain. It sought a $1.8 million grant from the government to help ease the burden. Sri Lankan governments have sacked previous elected boards and appointed administrations citing corruption, but no legal action has been taken. Sri Lanka, which hosted 12 World Cup matches, reached the final of the tournament on April 2, losing to India in Mumbai. (AP)