Sri Lanka Boxing at a Crossroads

Unity call overshadowed by financial transparency concems and wasteful spending

- By ALLAAM OUSMAN

The past year in Sri Lanka boxing has been one of contrasts - bursts of ambition and personal sacrifice overshadowed by wasteful spending, questionable decision-making, and a breakdown in the financial transparency that the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) had maintained for over two decades.

The annual general meeting (AGM) of the BASL, held recently, was a stormy affair that at times descended into chaos, with angry members openly baying for the head of president Anuruddha Shanaka Bandara. The most critical flashpoint was the refusal to pass the association's accounts, which had not been audited as required. The membership, deeply frustrated over what they saw as repeated mismanagement, handed Bandara a two-month ultimatum to put the house in order - or face a constitutional reckoning.

The demands were clear:

Enact constitutional reforms legally.

Ensure full financial transparency with both private and government audits.

Restore public confidence in the BASL's governance.