By Ravi Perera –
Ravi Perera
While viewing the televised media conference held by our Cricket Board to defend allegations of what in some quarters is being referred to as ‘silly maids in night watchwomen role’, my mind went to a scene from the famous “Godfather” trilogy, an iconic movie of our time.
The movie is about an immigrant Italian family in early 20th Century America. Hailing from Sicily the breeding ground of the infamous Mafia culture, the Corleone family gradually establish an empire of vice; smuggling, hooch, bribery, prostitution, blackmail, all backed with strong arm tactics, even murder. In the telling of this family’s evolution from poor immigrants to immense wealth the Corleone story is inevitably romanticized; murder and corruption become commonplace; matter of course business.
Michael Corleone, the suave son of the original godfather Don Corleone, is the principal author of the criminal family’s attempted transformation to mainstream respectability. In a memorable scene in the powerful movie, he tells his listeners sententiously “The Corleone family has sold its interests in casinos, gambling and all other illegitimate businesses”; the wealth he has accrued should absolve the dark methods by which it was accumulated. While he speaks, his trusted hitmen, appropriately dressed for the occasion in business suits, are hovering around. Having accumulated a pile of black money, Michael Corleone now masquerades as a law-abiding American, hugely successful in the pursuit of the American dream.
Hoodlums have scant regard for the law, murder is their trademark. While abusing every concession given by the law as well as every nicety extended by society, in the dark of the night they will be ordering their hitmen to kill and maim. During the day these underworld bosses are surrounded by lawyers and accountants showing them every loophole. Charity paves the way to respectability; endowments for benevolent causes, sponsoring of religious institutions, financing of politicians and the promotion of sports are favoured methods of these social climbers.
In a rich country like America, millions of dollars will be needed for the unsavoury to climb the social ladder. On the contrary, in Sri Lanka where a very large number live below the poverty line, high-status is cheaply purchased, a thousand dollars will open the door to the most prestigious clubs.
Having no intrinsic value system for guidance, money has become the only criteria for upper-class status in our country. Heedless when it comes to assessment of character, lacking in refinement, sophistication and good taste, these so called elite get dizzy with excitement when they see money; our clubs are brimming with corrupters, wheeler-dealers, commission agents, scammers and confidence men. A case of a pretentious elite disseminating its doubtful values.
As time has shown, monopolization of sporting bodies year after year by a few fat cats has been to the extreme detriment of sports. From track and field to ball games, we are on the retreat, being relegated to the lowest ranks, in many sports we do not even qualify to participate internationally. Even in Cricket, a game generally confined to the former colonies of the British Empire, our performance is patchy. We may lack the graceful athleticism of the West Indians, or the steamroller like professionalism of the Australians, but make up for it with sheer enthusiasm for the game. Denied other means of advancement, for many a poor lad Cricket has been the path to fame and fortune. Buoyed by the occasional victory in this very chancy game, millions of Sri Lankans find a pleasurable escape from their drab existence, following the fortunes of the national team on television.
The main issue being addressed at the Cricket Board press conference was the alleged provision of air-tickets to a game in Australia for family members of officials and some females who are described as supporters of our national team. It is an open secret that Sri Lankans are considered a high risk category for Visa purposes, many obtaining Visitor Visas are inclined to stay on in the host country, Australia being a particularly attractive target for illegal over-stayers.
We gather that Australia relaxes their strict approach to issuing of Visas to Sri Lankans when a Sri Lankan team is playing in their country, enabling our officials and perhaps a few supporters to travel to support the visiting team. They trust our Cricket Board to honour the confidence placed on them, expecting all nominated applicants to be bona-fide cricket fans, and more importantly, that they will return to their country, as specified on the Visa. Sports ennobles; rules matter, fairness is assumed.
It seems the holders of power at the Board level can buy the support of constituent clubs with gifts and favours, thus turning the election of office bearers into a corrupt process. Assured thus of the club voter base, did the officials of the Board lose sight of the idealism so essential in sport?
Or, did they follow suit of another elite source-our national politics?
Every government in Sri Lanka, some more than others, have attempted to win favour with the voter with various inducements, a political tactic which in the long term has proven disastrous for the country. What is happening at the Cricket Board, besides other sporting bodies, is only a small -scale replication of the example set by our rulers.
As to the obvious junket to Australia, not so long ago we had a President of the country who would fly to foreign destinations accompanied by a massive entourage, many of them oddments and weirdos barely conscious of the purpose of the trip. The President was entertaining his not so illustrious court!
When the centre cannot hold, things fall apart! What is good for the President of the country is surely good enough for the Cricket Board!
Going by the trenchant manner in which the interview was conducted, one may find it difficult to believe that these officials are former sportsmen, now voluntarily serving a game they claim to love. In other countries, there is both an obvious refinement as well as an unmistakable openness in sports officials.
My mind cannot leave that memorable scene in Godfather!
In the course of the conference the President of the Board defends their decision to take some actresses/models to Australia, rhetorically posing the question “Why not take actresses to support your team, is he to take prison inmates instead?”
That flippant answer drew no immediate retort. I wish a small voice spoke out, “Why did you not consider taking school boy cricketers- for the youngsters, such as exposure would have been invaluable”
But then this is Sri Lanka sports.
