Former Sri Lanka men’s head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe has filed fresh legal action at the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), seeking nearly USD 500,000 in compensation over the termination of his contract by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
According to a report on Sunday Times, Hathurusinghe has named members of the SLC Executive Committee who were in office at the time of his dismissal as respondents, following an earlier CAS ruling that the cricket board itself could not be cited as a party due to its lack of incorporation under an Act of Parliament.
The dispute dates back to 2019, when SLC terminated Hathurusinghe’s contract citing disciplinary issues and unsatisfactory on-field performances. After his removal, Hathurusinghe initially lodged a claim at CAS seeking damages for loss of income, loss of opportunity and reputational harm.
CAS upheld a preliminary objection raised by SLC’s legal team, ruling that while the board could not be sued in its own name, Hathurusinghe was free to pursue the case against individual executive committee members involved in the decision.
In his latest filing, Hathurusinghe is seeking a payout equivalent to 12 months of salary, amounting to nearly USD 500,000. Notices have been issued to all executive committee members who served during the period of his dismissal, the report said.
Hathurusinghe was appointed on a 36-month contract with a remuneration package that included a monthly salary of USD 20,000, a USD 10,000 cost-of-living allowance and additional benefits, taking his monthly earnings beyond USD 40,000.
Sri Lanka won 24 of 67 international matches during his tenure. A subsequent inquiry led by retired judge Lalith Jayasuriya found him guilty of multiple charges, including failure to prepare the team adequately, creating disharmony and conduct unbecoming of a national coach. (Newswire)