September 29, Colombo (LNW): The Government has taken steps towards placing the administration of cricket in Sri Lanka on a new statutory footing, with a Bill proposing a comprehensive legal framework for the country’s cricket governing body now gazetted.
Known as the Sri Lanka Cricket Bill, the proposed legislation sets out a formal structure for the establishment, powers and responsibilities of Sri Lanka Cricket, while placing greater emphasis on transparency, accountability, integrity and sound governance.
The Bill, ordered for publication by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, outlines how Sri Lanka Cricket would be constituted and how it would exercise its authority over the development and administration of the sport.
Among its stated objectives is the promotion of cricket through governance standards designed to ensure greater openness, accountability and inclusivity. The proposed framework also emphasises equal opportunities for individuals involved in the sport, from players and officials to other stakeholders.
Player and participant welfare is another area covered by the proposed legislation. It includes measures intended to strengthen protections for those involved in cricket and to safeguard the sport against corruption, misconduct and other practices that could undermine its integrity.
If enacted, the legislation would give Sri Lanka Cricket a clearly defined statutory foundation and establish a set of responsibilities for overseeing the sport’s administration and future development.
The move comes after years of debate surrounding the management of cricket in Sri Lanka, particularly over questions concerning governance, financial transparency and accountability within the country’s cricket administration.
The proposed law seeks to address those concerns by making governance principles a central part of the institutional structure of Sri Lanka Cricket, while also providing for matters directly or indirectly connected with its establishment and operation.
The Bill will now form part of the legislative process, with its provisions setting out the Government’s proposed framework for how cricket is to be governed, regulated and developed in Sri Lanka.