Arjuna Ranatunga and Hashan Tillakaratne, two former Sri Lanka cricket captains, who turned to politics, addressing the media at common Opposition Presidential Candidate, Gen. (Rtd) Sarath Fonseka’s campaign office in Colombo yesterday (Jan. 15), said some national cricketers have set a bad precedent by getting involved in politics prior to retiring from the game.

The two former cricket stalwarts are now active supporters of Gen. (Rtd) Sarath Fonseka’s Presidential election campaign.

Ranatunga and Tillakaratne were critical of Sanath Jayasuriya, another past skipper of Sri Lanka, for supporting President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the main rival of Fonseka at the Jan. 26 Presidential Poll. Jayasuriya addressed an election rally in Ambalangoda last Wednesday, pledging his support to President Rajapaksa.

"By getting involved in politics while still playing for the country, some players could tend to influence the sports minister and the national cricket selectors to make certain of their place in the team. It’s not ethical or just. Such deeds set a bad precedent as upcoming cricketers might think it would be better to support the existing political regime, rather than performing well in the game so as to establish their places in the national team," Ranatunga said.

"Jayasuriya is supporting President Rajapaksa while still playing for Sri Lanka. He, by doing so, intends to make it back to the national team," said Tillakaratne.

Meanwhile, Tillakaratne said that he has proof of two irregular TV deals the present Sports Minister entered into resulting in a loss running into millions of rupees.

"The entire sports sector has deteriorated. There are about ten interim administrations running sports. The President is safeguarding dubious characters," said an agitated Tillakaratne.

Meanwhile, Ranatunga, who crossed over from the Rajapaksa camp to that of Gen. Fonseka only weeks after the announcement of the Presidential Election last December, explained that he had had discussions with Gen. Fonseka and hoped to have in place a new plan within three months after Gen. Fonseka’s victory, to arrest the present crisis in local sports.

"New rules will have to be implemented to stop the politicising of sports…An interim committee is alright for our cricket for the moment, but it should comprise members of cricket clubs as well," Ranatunga said.

When asked to explain how and why only cricketers should not express their personal political opinion and get involved in active politics — while still being involved in their profession — when people of many other fields like the arts, law and media could do so, Ranatunga clarified, saying that cricketers are more important than others as they represent Sri Lanka on the international stage.