Can Shammi be removed according to the ICC Sports Act? - International cricket websites explain

Sri Lanka Cricket President Mr. Shammi Silva and its Executive Committee members have decided to resign from their positions. This decision was made at a special Executive Committee meeting held on Tuesday, following a request by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who emphasized the need to appoint a new administration to take over cricket governance.

They reached this agreement after a lengthy discussion lasting nearly three hours, and the relevant resignation letters were scheduled to be handed over to Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage on Wednesday. Media outlets including Cricbuzz and NDTV Sports have already published articles analyzing previous instances of political authorities' ability to remove these individuals from their positions.

Considering the decline of the national cricket team and various complaints from players, the government's attention had been drawn to removing Mr. Shammi Silva from his post since last March. Specifically, the inability of the Sri Lankan team, led by Dasun Shanaka, to even reach the Super 8 stage in the last T20 World Cup Cricket tournament, co-hosted by Sri Lanka Cricket and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has strongly influenced this government intervention. Although corruption allegations have been leveled against Sri Lanka Cricket, no official charges have been filed to date, and a former cricket president had stated that they successfully hosted a World Cup tournament, increased revenue, and are scheduled to host another International Cricket Council (ICC) tournament in 2029.

It is reported that the government has already decided to appoint an interim governing body to fill the vacancy created by Mr. Shammi Silva's removal. Accordingly, Mr. Eran Wickramaratne, a former minister and current opposition member, is highly likely to be appointed as the head of this interim governing body, representing the government. As this transfer of power is taking place under the direct supervision of the President, some Executive Committee members, despite attempting to complete their remaining terms, have not been given any opportunity to do so.

Mr. Shammi Silva, 65, who succeeded Mr. Thilanga Sumathipala, first elected as Sri Lanka Cricket President by a majority vote of member clubs in 2019, was subsequently re-elected unopposed to the position in 2021, 2023, and 2025. Additionally, he served as the President of the Asian Cricket Council in 2025, succeeding Mr. Jay Shah of India. With one year remaining in his current term, he has thus been forced to bid farewell to his seven-year era of cricket administration.

Although the Sports Minister has the power to dissolve national sports associations under the 1973 Sports Act, government interference in an elected governing body contradicts the International Cricket Council's (ICC) charter. Previously, in December, after the defeat in the 2023 World Cup tournament held in India, when then Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe removed Mr. Shammi Silva from his position and appointed an interim committee, the International Cricket Council took steps to suspend Sri Lanka's membership, and the hosting of the Youth World Cup tournament, scheduled for January 2024, was moved to South Africa. However, it is reported that the International Cricket Council has already been informed that new elections will be held within six months in the future. A similar situation has arisen within the Bangladesh Cricket Board, where the government removed the board led by Aminul Islam and appointed a new board led by Tamim Iqbal, but the ICC has not yet taken any serious intervention or action regarding this.