By Hishan Welmilla
Sri Lanka parliament gave approval for an amended Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports (PORS) Bill, which deals comprehensively with match-fixing, corruption, illegal manipulation, and illegal betting in sports.
Minister of Telecommunication, Foreign Employment, and Sports Harin Fernando sought the approval of Cabinet to publish the draft Bill, prepared incorporating the Amendments proposed by the Attorney General in the Government Gazette and thereafter, present the same in Parliament.
“This is a success of sports in Sri Lanka. This is the first time such a Bill was legally accepted in the Asian Region. International cricket Council has approved a legislation for Anti Corruption on cricket but there was no legal backing for same” Minister of Sports mentioned to www.srilankasports.com over Whatsapp.
“This type of act can not find in Asia , not even in India, Pakistan. Sri Lanka will become the first country in the Asian region to pass such a law. “I am especially grateful to the Attorney General’s Department who was involved in this. And Sports Ministry officials should be commended for doing this. ” Minister added.
The Minister also expressed his views on the various obstacles in the implementation of the bill.
“I am very proud to have been able to handle all of these things without having to deal with all the vehement threats or delays
Cabinet approval was granted on October 1 after the Attorney General gave clearance for the draft Bill with several Amendments to be incorporated into the earlier draft Bill.
The Bill provides for the appointment of a special unit for the investigation of sports-related offences and imposes jail sentences from three to 10 years, and hefty fines of up to Rs. 100 million for some offences, for those found guilty of such illegal activities.
The law will apply to any persons or any person connected to a sport who, directly or indirectly, alone or in conjunction with others, gets involved in any arrangement on an irregular alteration of the course or the result of any sport or sporting event for money or any other reward or benefit.
The Bill covers practices such as betting, gambling, inside information relating to a sport, under-performance or withdrawal from a sport or sporting event for non-genuine reasons
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