In another development of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) election battle, Presidential candidate Thilanga Sumathipala yesterday in a Letter of Demand (LOD) addressed to Upali Dharmadasa, another Presidential aspirant sent under the hand of Attorney at Law Priyantha Upali Amarasinghe is claiming that to his utmost surprise and dismay a purported press communiqué appeared on ‘Daily Mirror’ Newspaper dated 12 March 2013 issued and/or caused to have been issued by Upali Dharmadasa in his capacity as the President of SLC and most importantly one of the contestants in the forthcoming elections for the candidacy of President for SLC.
In the aforesaid press communiqué issued on his behalf as aforesaid it is inter alia represented that;
The ICC by its letter dated 5 March 2013 had written to SLC upon being informed of Sumathipala’s candidacy to the post of President of SLC and his eligibility to represent himself at the ICC.
In the said letter it was revealed that Sumathipala was found to nave breached ICC’s Code of Ethics primarily through his relationship with the Sporting Star Bookmaking Business in Sri Lanka.
It was specifically revealed that, the ICC in June 2005 resolved a Board Resolution that if Sumathipala was ever nominated by SLC as its representative of the Board again he would not be entitled to sit in the Board of Directors of the ICC until a formal hearing is held in relation to the allegations of breaching the Code of Ethics and:
In the said circumstances if Sumathipala is elected to the post of President of SLC it would jeopardize Sri Lanka, its people and governance of the game of cricket and SLC.
The said letter further states thus:
“I have instructions by my client that you have issued the purported communiqué with the ulterior motive of tarnishing my client’s reputation and goodwill at a time when my client is contesting for the post of President of SLC against you and several other candidates
Acting in the aforesaid manner you have deliberately and maliciously misled the general public and had caused to distort the true version and effect of ICC’s communication by inter alia reproducing and quoting certain portions and/or parts of the communiqué and carefully manipulated to portray a false image of my client.
I am instructed by my client to write to you stating that, ICC has communicated with my client by its letter dated 5th March 2013 and my client reasonably understands that the communication which you have referred in the purported communiqué also contains the following clear and unambiguous stand of the ICC as to my client’s prospects of dealing with the ICC in the event my client is successful at the forthcoming elections.
I am further instructed by my client that you being a contestant in the forthcoming elections has caused to issue a purported press communiqué using your office as the President of SLC in the manner mentioned above had caused to portray a false image and created a fear psychosis amongst the voting members and the cricketing public with the ulterior motive of gaining an undue advantage in the forthcoming elections.
I am further instructed that, said purposive attempt to publish and/or cause to publish a press communiqué in the said manner was timely designed and calculated to prejudice the minds of the three-member committee appointed by the Hon Minister to inquire in to the objections in relation to my client’s candidacy whilst the determination in relation to the inquiry against my client is yet to be delivered.
I am further instructed to write to you stating that, said distorted manner in which the facts have been presented in the press communiqué had ridiculed and/or caused to have ridicule my client amongst the general public and thus has rendered to lower the dignity of my client.
I am instructed by my client that, for purpose clarity of the contents in the said press communiqué my client wishes to set the facts straight in the following manner that the said letter by the ICC received by my client specifically emphasized that they do not have any objections of my client’s candidacy to the post of President of SLC.
That my client in response to the said inquiry referred to in the purported press communiqué to have been held in year 2005 by the ICC in relation to my client’s links in to the gambling and bookmaking Company namely Sporting Star had tendered an affidavit in year 2010 denying any involvement in such business of gambling and/or bookmaking
That, my client if required is ready to face any inquiry by the ICC to absolve himself from any allegation and/or blemish against my clients involvement in gambling and/or bookmaking industry. that in any event as the ICC in its letter dated 5th March 2013 had clearly indicated that my clients candidacy to the post of President of SLC has no bearing whatsoever on SLC’s representative status at ICC in that SLC can appoint any other nominee to represent SLC as a Full Member Director
As a result of the said press communiqué caused to have been issued at your instance directly referring to my client amounts to illegal, unfair, disproportionate accusations and allegations against my client which are per se and by innuendo defamatory of my client which had lowered the dignity and the social status of my client amongst the general public and within the membership of SLC
As a direct result of the said illegal and unfair conduct to publish and/or cause to have published in the manner mentioned above has caused severe damage to my client
I have instructions from my client to write to you stating that, my client reasonably estimates the loss and damage which he had suffered as a result of the aforesaid act attributed to you at a sum of Rs 500,000,000 (Rupees Five Hundred Million)
- sports.dailymirror.lk
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