SLTA sacks chairman of selectors

by Dinesh Weerawansa

Former Sri Lanka captain and veteran Davis Cup player, Arjun Fernando has been removed from the top seat of the national tennis selection committee.

The decision comes just days after the controversial selection of his son Aravind Fernando to the Sri Lanka Under-14 Boys team to ITF junior championships in Australia later this month.

Chairman of selectors Fernando, who had represented Sri Lanka in many Davis Cup ties with distinction, has been removed from the post by the Ex-co of the Sri Lanka Tennis Association. He will be replaced by another former Sri Lanka Davis Cup player Lasantha Fernando, who was also the non-playing captain when Sri Lanka won a crucial tie to be promoted to the Group 111 of the Asia Ocenia Zone of the Davis Cup last year.

A star player during his time, new chairman of selectors Lasantha Fernando was Sri Lanka national champion in 1975.

The SLTA committee has been of the view that Fernando has not followed proper guidelines stipulated by the SLTA on selections. It has been alleged that Fernando should not have chaired the selections, at which his son Aravind Fernando was picked and that was a conflict of interest for the selection committee chief.

However, the other four members of the selection committee remain unchanged. The new national tennis selection committee, ratified by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Jeewan Kumaranatunga yesterday, comprise Lasantha Fernando (chairman), Ayendra Bandaranaike, Iqbal Issac, Arjan Perera and Aruna Seneviratne. Minister Kumaratunga confirmed last evening that he has approved the new selection committee.

The tennis selection controversy was exclusively spotlighted by the 'Daily News' last Tuesday (24).

It was alleged that there had not been a fair deal in selecting No. 18 ranked Aravind Fernando, by the selection committee headed by his father Arjun Fernando, against Sri Lanka's current junior No.3 Shehan Gomes. Both Fernando Jnr. And Gomes lost to the ultimate winner at the selection trials - Eshan Jayamanne.

Arjun Fernando denied all allegations and denied there was any foul play. "I am a straight man and has nothing to hide. As selectors we are answerable only to the Sports Minister and that is why I consulted the Ministry Secretary to get approval for a fresh trial. I have written to the other selectors and informed them about my action," he said.

Fernando Snr they have followed proper selection criteria. "That has been the selection criteria which we have adopted for the last two to three years. True that criteria defers from what the SLTA Committee has set. I admit that. But at all times, we have given everybody a fair deal," he added.