Sports minister Roshan Ranasinghe has decided to amend the constitution of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) and hold an overdue election of office-bearers within two months.
The mandate of the FFSL lapsed by August 31.
The minister’s decision came following a meeting with FFSL officials as well as a visiting team from the game’s world governing body FIFA.
Led by a director of FIFA’s legal committee, the team has held lengthy talks with the minister, National Sports Council president Arjuna Ranatunga and top FFSL officials.
Ranasinghe has promised to amend certain clauses of the FFSL constitution in accordance with that of FIFA.
The FFSL election was due on August 31, but a court order barred a planning meeting of the local football governing body that had been scheduled for May 17 in Polonnaruwa.
The last FFSL election took place on June 30, 2021.
The FIFA has disapproved of permitting a third party to continue with FFSL’s administration in the absence of a new executive committee.
FFSL to get Rs. 550 million
With a FIFA decision to raise grants to member countries by 25 per cent, FFSL is set to receive USD 13 million (approximately Rs. 550 million) during the 2023-26 period.
Furthermore, it gets a USD 2.6 million grant from the Asian Football Council for a four-year period.
All these are in addition to the finances received for special projects and infrastructure development.
In the meantime, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Japan have agreed to financially assist the FFSL to promote football in the next three years, at the rate of Rs. 180 million per year.
