FINA has suspended the new committee of the Sri Lankan Aquatic Sports Union (the nation’s national swimming federation) after local elections were conducted in violation of a FINA directive.
According to Ceylon Today, the Sri Lankan Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) had elections scheduled for May 15th, but FINA had concerns about interference from the Sri Lanka Sports & Tourism Ministry.
FINA issued a directive to the Sri Lankan federation to postpone those elections and the SLASU Annual General Meeting. But a portion of SLASU’s member clubs went ahead with the elections anyway, selecting a new committee that met “the acceptance of an observers of the Department of Sports Development.”
In response, FINA suspended those newly-elected board members, keeping the current committee as it stood before the elections for the time being. FINA advised Sri Lanka to hold another election, but one that abides by FINA’s rules about autonomy, rules that forbid outside interference on elections.
SLASU appears to be accepting FINA’s directive and will look to set up another election to pick its new board. Ceylon Today reports that SLASU leadership had this to say:
Speaking for the existing office bearers Akhry Ameer, General Secretary of SLASU said, “We appreciate FINA’s expeditious handling of this matter through Mr Majid Waseem’s visit. These occurrences broke down the momentum of our aquatic activities. We will inform the membership of FINA’s decision and hope to resume our activities with the least possible delay.”