Cricket Australia has imposed a 20-year ban on Dulip Samaraweera, a former Sri Lankan Test cricketer and ex-coach of Victoria’s women’s team, following his conviction for serious misconduct. This ruling prohibits Samaraweera from participating in any capacity within Australian cricket.
After an investigation led by Cricket Australia’s (CAs) Integrity department, the matter was referred to the Conduct Commission, which found Samaraweera guilty of a “serious violation” of clause 2.23 of CA’s Code of Conduct.
This clause addresses behavior that undermines the spirit of cricket, is inappropriate for a representative or official, and could harm the interests or reputation of the game. Samaraweera was accused of coercive and controlling behavior towards a female cricketer over an extended period, leading to his 20-year ban from any role within Cricket Australia or its State and Territory Associations, including any Women/Big Bash League teams.
Cricket Victoria CEO Nick Cummins praised the courage of the female victim for coming forward, stating, “We strongly support the decision taken by the Code of Conduct Commission today, banning Dulip Samaraweera for 20 years… It is our view that the conduct was utterly reprehensible and a betrayal of everything we stand for at Cricket Victoria.”
He further commended the victim’s bravery, “The victim in this case has demonstrated incredible strength of character and courage in speaking up. She will continue to receive our ongoing support to allow her to achieve her goals on and off the field.”
Cummins reiterated Cricket Victoria’s commitment to a safe and inclusive environment, saying, “From an organisation perspective, the safety and wellbeing of everyone at Cricket Victoria is paramount. We will not tolerate any behaviour which compromises that position, or our people, and will always support our culture of speaking up.”
The Australian Cricketers’ Association also backed CA’s decision, with chief executive Todd Greenberg expressing the gravity of the findings, “These are extremely serious findings that may shock and upset many in the cricket community. The safety and wellbeing of our members remains paramount. The leaders in Australian Cricket now need to ensure that every possible measure is taken to ensure things like this never happen again. We have raised this imperative with Cricket Australia.”
Samaraweera, who represented Sri Lanka in seven Tests and five ODIs between 1993 and 1995, was a long-time assistant coach for Victoria’s women’s team and the Melbourne Stars WBBL team. Earlier this year, he was promoted to the head coach role for Victoria’s women’s team but resigned just two weeks into the position after his request to appoint his brother as an assistant coach was denied due to state policies.
(Quotes sourced from cricket.com.au)