The suspended President of Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB), Roshan Gunawardana, could face further disciplinary action after repeatedly failing to cooperate with inquiries into allegations made during his tenure, including claims of administrative and governance irregularities and a separate complaint of alleged sexual harassment. Gunawardana was suspended by the SLB General Council on August 6 following [...]
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Gunawardana was suspended by the SLB General Council on August 6 following a series of allegations concerning “irregularities, non-compliance, governance procedures and misconduct” during his tenure, which began in May 2025. He had been served a charge sheet effective from August 4 and was given two weeks to respond in detail, together with supporting documentation.
Roshan Gunawardana (right) replaced Rohan de Silva (2nd right) as President of SLB on May 24, 2025
Adding to his administrative difficulties is a complaint lodged with SLB by a newly recruited female employee, who has alleged that Gunawardana attempted to sexually harass her.
The SLB General Council appointed a one-person inquiry panel to establish the facts by interviewing the parties separately. The female employee appeared before the panel and provided her account both verbally and in writing, in the presence of another female witness.
Gunawardana, however, initially resisted appearing before the panel, reportedly arguing that, as President of SLB, he had certain rights under the organisation’s constitution. His objections included the proposed venue for the interview and the absence of a translator, as he had opposed being interviewed in English.
According to SLB sources, the inquiry was intended to obtain Gunawardana’s response to the complaint and establish the facts before a separate charge sheet relating to the sexual harassment allegation could be considered.
Following a detailed explanation by the official appointed to conduct the inquiry, Gunawardana eventually agreed to cooperate. August 12 was subsequently fixed for the interview after he disagreed with other dates that had been proposed.
However, when the official arrived at a private location near the SLB headquarters on Wednesday, August 12, as agreed, Gunawardana did not appear.
Had the inquiry proceeded, the information gathered from both parties would have enabled the SLB General Council to determine whether a separate charge sheet should be issued in relation to the sexual harassment complaint, in addition to the disciplinary charges already served on August 4.
Gunawardana has also reportedly failed to appear on three occasions when summoned by the Cinnamon Gardens Police to assist with inquiries into the complaint lodged by the female employee.
A senior police official confirmed that Cinnamon Gardens Police were continuing to gather information and evidence relating to the complaint and that further action could follow, including proceedings before the courts, depending on the findings of the inquiry.
Meanwhile, another issue has emerged over Gunawardana’s continued possession of the key to the conference room at the SLB headquarters, which he had been using as an office. The room also serves as a storage facility for important documents and houses the laptop computer used by senior SLB officials to communicate with international, regional and other national badminton bodies.
A senior SLB official said documents relating to an upcoming junior international tournament were also being kept inside the room, with officials needing access to the material to respond to tournament organisers and confirm the number of participating teams or players.
According to documented information available to SLB officials, this is not the first charge sheet issued against Gunawardana. He had previously been served with disciplinary charges on several occasions, with the most recent prior to the August 4 action being issued on July 20. Gunawardana had provisionally stepped down as SLB President on July 20 following an Emergency Committee Meeting convened after the sexual harassment complaint was made by the female employee.
The employee had reportedly been recruited without the knowledge or approval of the SLB Executive Committee. Gunawardana subsequently stated that he wished to step down for one month from July 20 “due to the alleged sexual harassment complaint lodged” by the employee.
The latest charge sheet, issued 15 days after the previous disciplinary action, contains allegations beyond the sexual harassment complaint referred to by Gunawardana when he temporarily stepped aside. It sets out multiple allegations concerning financial, administrative, management and governance matters, together with the Motion of No Confidence passed against him.
Sources familiar with the proceedings said the charge sheet contains between eight and 12 allegations or matters under each of the four broad areas, requiring Gunawardana to provide individual responses and supporting documentation. With the August 18 deadline approaching, the response submitted by Gunawardana is expected to play a key role in determining the next stage of the disciplinary process.
The allegations against Gunawardana remain claims and have not been established as facts unless and until they are determined through the relevant disciplinary, investigative or judicial processes. Gunawardana’s response to the allegations will therefore be significant in determining the outcome of the proceedings.
Print Edition – The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka
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