By Bingun Menaka Gamage in Ceylon Today, Jan 13, 2023
Special attention must be paid to the possibility of Sri Lanka men’s cricket team being subjected to the influence of religious cult, ‘Born Again’, as there are clear signs of that happening, recommended the five-member committee appointed to probe various allegations against Sri Lanka men’s cricket team, which had taken place during December 2022 Australia tour.
This recommendation was made by the committee after obtaining statements from several Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) officials and team members.
The report said cricketer Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who was a Buddhist, has become a follower of the Born Again cult. A Born Again Pastor named Terry had met cricketer Chamika Karunaratne and preached about the importance of the cult.
According to the report, there are several SLC officials and national team players who are followers of Born Again. The report also says, controversial Pastor Jerome Fernando, who introduces himself as a Prophet, takes various steps to increase the number of followers of his cult. At the same time, it was observed that some cricketers hesitated to provide statements to the committee due to fear of jeopardising their careers, the report claimed.
Furthermore, the report shed light on many alleged financial misappropriations that occurred during the said tour.
The SLC has spent more than Rs 25 million on air tickets for 16 officers. Also, more than USD 100,000 has been spent as additional expenses.
It is also revealed that SLC Chief Operating Officer Jerome Jayaratne’s visa and air tickets had been sponsored by the Sri Lanka Cricket and he had also been provided a per diem of USD 7,000 for 10 days. However, he has done nothing related to the tour as an SLC official.
Although Jayaratne engage in promotional activities, the committee said there is no need for him to go overseas as it can simply done by e-mails. Jayaratne launched a promotional campaign for the men’s T20 World Cup in 2022 and his duty was terminated during the tournament.
Jayaratne went Australia on26 October 2022 and returned to the country on 8 or 9 November 2022. He had spent the days in the house of his sister, the report said.
Moreover, the committee recommended to grant permission for the cricketers’ spouses to accompany them on tours, for it would help in ensuring their mental health and stop the cricketers from going outside their hotels at night.
https://ceylontoday.lk/2023/01/13/born-again-cult-possibly-taking-over-slc-probe-committee/
