Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) Under CID Investigation: Audit Uncovers Major Financial Mismanagement

The Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs has officially forwarded two audit reports on the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further investigation. This action follows the uncovering of serious allegations regarding financial mismanagement and procedural violations at the FFSL.

The Ministry’s Secretary, Mr. Mahesan, confirmed that the first report, dated 20th July 2023, was the initial outcome of an investigation conducted by a 3-member committee. This report highlighted significant breaches, including the unauthorized payment of LKR 12.775 million for footballs that were never received, unexplained food bills exceeding LKR 13.9 million for the Ceylon Provincial League, and improper transfers of USD 700,000 from FFSL’s foreign account without proper budgetary approval.

A second report, dated 14th August 2023, provided clarifications and further details on these matters. Both reports, labeled under reference numbers ක්‍රීසංදෙ/අවි/වි/04/02/01-2023/05, were submitted to the CID to facilitate criminal investigations.

The Ministry’s decision to involve the CID comes after growing concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability within the FFSL, and it signals a decisive move to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.

This development will be closely followed as the investigation progresses, with the public eagerly awaiting further updates.