Complaint over suspected umpire exam paper leak

Colombo, Feb. 12 (Daily Mirror) - A complaint has been lodged with the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (SLHRC) alleging that the Sri Lanka Cricket Umpires' Committee had leaked papers from last year's umpires' exam.

Chandana Kannangara, a Grade Four umpire from the Sri Lanka Cricket Board, told the media outside the SLHRC after lodging the complaint that the Sri Lanka Cricket Board had conducted an examination last year to upgrade the Grade Four umpires to Grade Three, with over 100 candidates participating.

Kannangara alleged that two individuals, a former Test cricket umpire and a member of the Sri Lanka Cricket Umpires' Committee, had leaked a paper containing 60 questions to several umpires a week before the exam. He claimed that 25 questions from the leaked paper were included in the official exam.

"The duo leaked the paper. Twenty-five umpires were promoted following the exam. However, there are more than 30 applicants who scored over 98 marks, yet some failed to qualify. Sri Lanka Cricket should select qualified umpires through proper procedures. We have decided to lodge a complaint about this injustice with various institutions," he said.

He said that the exam, held on April 23 last year, faced an eight-month delay in releasing results until February 4. Kannangara claimed that the board was aware of the leaked paper among at least 25 applicants but had failed to take action.

He highlighted that this was not the first instance that a paper has been leaked, but noted that previously only a few individuals had access to it. However, this time, at least 25 applicants received the paper before the exam. 

Kannangara claimed that it was nearly impossible for anyone, even Kumar Dharmasena, to score 98 marks on the paper without prior access.