Maxwell de Silva
One of the most despised and frowned upon sports administrators Maxwell de Silva, has been removed from his post by the Ministry of Sports ending his image as an untouchable invincible for almost a year that brought disrepute to the National Olympic Committee (NOC) that has just one medal in 75 years to brag about.
Making newspaper headlines for the wrong reasons De Silva clung on to his position as secretary despite the NOC’s Ethics Committee ruling that his continuation was against ethics and principals over allegations of financial abuse, nepotism and even human smuggling.
His stubborn stance also drew in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that blacklisted Sri Lanka with an impending international ban in November last year should De Silva continue to function.
The NOC, currently headed by Suresh Subramanium, was ripped apart in Parliament in 2023 when Opposition Member Chaminda Mayadunne branded it one of the most corrupt public institutions in the country.
The NOC however carried on with impunity leaving many asking whether it was above the Law.
Mayadunne called for the clean-up of the NOC based on an Audit Report of 2022 as the bandwagon kept rolling and De Silva continued amid numerous media reports calling for investigations before the IOC that provides the funding stepped in. Mayadunne also accused the NOC of taking custody of international funding meant for former Olympic silver medallist Susanthika Jayasinghe and depriving another Olympian sprinter Yupun Abeykoon of opportunities to move forward.
For some Sri Lankan Olympic officials it was more of a case of serving themselves than serving the needs of the sportsman and women basking like total dictators merely excellent at attending ceremonial functions.
Former Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, the bravest and boldest of them all who was removed by former President Ranil Wickremasinghe, had also nudged the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and fired them a letter citing financial mismanagement at the NOC.
But the biggest question will be whether De Silva will be the first and the last to be removed in a sports set-up ridden with corruption.
