Sri Lankan National Cricket players would refuse to sign contracts with the Sri Lanka Cricket if it is not done in a transparent and professional manner.
While reiterating the lack of transparency as the underlying cause for the dispute, Sri Lanka National Cricket players have urged for transparency in respect of the players“contracts”. Attorney-at-Law Nishan Sydney Premathiratne, said in a statement.
Mr Premaratne who is the official representative appointed by the members of the Sri Lanka Cricket team.has issued this press statement on behalf of following cricketers: Dimuth Karunaratne, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Suranga Lakmal, KusaI Perera, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya De Silva, NiroshanDickwella, Kusal Mendis, WaninduHasaranga, Lasith Embuldeniya, PathumNissanka, Lahiru Thirimanne, DushmanthaChameera, KasunRajitha, LakshanSandakan, Vishwa Fernando, IsuruUdana,Oshada Fernando, Ramesh Mendis, Lahiru Kumara, Danushka Gunathillaka, Ashen Bandaraand Akila Dhananjaya.
The press release states that for a period of one month, the players have been continuously requesting for transparency in their dealings with the institution but nothing has happened so far.
Presently, the playershave been graded and categorized. However, the most pertinent matter, which is yet to be disclosed to the players, is the issue of points awarded for each player in respect of performance, for fitness, and for the other categories which have been identified in this new performance based model. These categories of assessment which have beenintroduced to this performance-based model require independent marks to be allotted in respect of each category for each player, the statement added.
The cricketers are of the view that a non-transparent system can be manipulated by any party, that could also lead to favouration and personal preferences.
Therefore, players find thecontracts to be unfair, unreasonable and arbitrary and thus they urge for transparency.
In the event, even after thelapse of a month, if these points are disclosed to players, and those have been awarded within accepted, reasonable parameters which is satisfactory to any reasonable observer (in consideration of performances during the specified period),the players have no reason to object to the contracts, the statement further added.
The statement emphasized that the players would refuse to sign unfair contracts without transparency.
Sri Lankan cricketers had earlier vehemently condemned the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) management Committee’s decision to publicly reveal the specific payment details of contract fees paid to specific players.
