A retired judge has been appointed to probe charges that Sri Lanka's athletic body chief had victimised four national athletes including Olympic bronze medallist Susanthika Jayasinghe. Sports and tourism minister Lakshman Kiriella has appointed retired judge Dudley Kurunaratne to hold an impartial inquiry against amateur athletics association president Sunil Gunawardena, media reports said in Colombo today.
Jayasinghe and four other athletes had complained to the minister that Gunawardena was hindering their progress and victimising those who did not train under him.
Earlier, a two-member committee had been appointed to conduct the same investigation, but Gunawardena had protested that one of them could be biased against him. The probe officer was replaced, but the replacement did not satisfy the athletes, leading to a stand-off for a few months. Kurunaratne will now be the sole inquiry officer.

Meanwhile, Jayasinghe is leaving today for Los Angeles for a four-month training stint under American coach Tony Campbell to prepare for world championships at Edmonton in Canada in august. She will also participate in IAAF grand prix meets prior to the world championship.
Bureau Report