Warnings by Sri Lanka wrestling officials that decamping was to take place during the tour of Norway for the world meet had been disregarded by the authorities and now a man hunt is on to track down Donald Indrawansa who was the manager of the team contingent who fled the scene and deserted the athletes no sooner they landed in Oslo.
Wrestling officials have also said that Indrawansa had in his possession money to the tune of more than Rs.250,000 which was part of the official funding for the tour.
Police in Sri Lanka are now seeking the assistance of Inter-Pol to track down and deport Donald Indrawansa who was the manager of the Sri Lanka wrestling team that went to Oslo, Norway to participate in a World Wrestling Championship but decamped and stayed back with the money.
Niroshan Perera the president of the Colombo District Wrestling Association told the Sunday Observer that he had warned the Director General (DG) of Sports Development at the Sports Ministry that such a scenario had been planned by the tour party before they left.
“I conveyed it in person to the DG about the plan of the wrestling team to stay back in Norway, but he did not take it seriously.
“He even approved the squad without seeking the advice of the Sports Minister. I had even made several complaints regarding the squad that was selected without any trials way back in 2018,” said Niroshan Perera.
Surprisingly the wrestlers returned to the country and only one of them is said to have participated in the world meet with his bout lasting under a minute.
“I had even given it in writing that the Association was conducting their affairs without any regard to the laws of sports. They had not submitted the audited reports properly, instead only showed bills on what they have spent, but no action was taken,” charged Perera.
It was not the first time that a wrestling official or wrestler had not returned to the country with numerous cases reported over the course of time and no action taken to stem the rot taking place in the wrestling organisation that is ridden with questionable activities.