Colombo: Financial irregularities surrounding Sri Lankan cricket were far worse than feared, government-appointed administrators said Thursday, promising a full accounting and sweeping reforms.
“We have already ordered a forensic audit of the accounts,” Eran Wickramaratne, interim president of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), told his first news conference since taking office last month.
He said financial irregularities were “far greater than initially feared”.
He said the new SLC leadership -- handpicked by the government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake -- would bring in sweeping reforms as concerns linger over international sanctions.
The current administration was appointed following the mass resignation of SLC’s elected officials last month -- a move that raised fears of possible suspension by the International Cricket Council (ICC) over political interference.
The SLC, the country’s richest sports body, was suspended for two months in 2023 on similar grounds. Wickramaratne, however, said discussions with the ICC were underway on reforming the SLC.
“Our talks with the ICC have been extremely cordial and constructive,” he said.
