Manju Wanniarachchi, Sri Lanka’s best hope for an Olympic Gold in 2012, in a rush of unfolding events has decided to retire from boxing.
Manju’s talent was spotted while he was a 19 year old schoolboy from Vidyartha College, Kandy during the 1999 SAF Games in Kathmandu. Manju became a protégé under the wings of Dian Gomes, who was working towards a boxing resurgence in Sri Lanka. And within a career span of 11 years, Manju brought in the most number international medals in boxing for Sri Lanka, including the Silver Medal at the 2007 Kings Cup in Thailand, the Bronze Medal at the 2008 Kazakhstan Olympic Trials, where he narrowly missed the qualifying for the Olympics, and the Silver Medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Championships, bringing glory and honour to a nation thirsting for international sporting recognition. He was also the unbeaten Sri Lankan Bantam Weight Champion for over 10 years.
He had an unbeaten run at the Commonwealth Games 2010 in New Delhi, where he won the Gold Medal defeating Sean McGoldrick of Wales. However, his medal was stripped by Commonwealth Games secretariat for alleged use of prohibited substance, a charge which was strongly contested by Manju. With his decision to retire, he has also withdrawn his intention to appeal to the World Anti-Doping Association in Switzerland, even as his legal team had high confidence in his ability to win back the medal.
In front of a crowd of over 5000 of his colleagues and friends in Pannanla, Manju Wanniarachchi made an emotional and poignant statement of his retirement from boxing, leaving his supporters in a state of shock and sadness.
“To the sports loving public of Sri Lanka; I gave all I had during the last several months prior to the Commonwealth Games to train hard and achieve glory for the country. Apart from the medication that I received for common illnesses no prohibited substance was knowingly administered to me prior to the Commonwealth Games. When I was informed of the “A” sample being positive my legal representatives strongly objected to the opening of “B” samples on the basis that the chain of custody of the samples were missing. I have been informed by my legal representatives that the absence of documents relating to chain of custody is a vital factor and that in the past several cases which involved allegation of doping have been decided in favour of the sportsman.
This is the very reason which compelled me to challenge the samples at a hearing concluded in Malaysia recently. Even though a number of defects in the chain of custody was pointed out the hearing panel confirmed that I was guilty of a doping offence. My next step as advised by my legal counsel is to forward an appeal against the decision to Switzerland. But in the interest of boxing, I have decided not to proceed with the option of forwarding such an appeal. I also wish to take this opportunity to announce my retirement from Boxing, a game which I have loved for more than 15 years.”
He also thanked the Chairman and the Board of Directors of MAS Holdings. He warm heartedly recognized his mentor Dian Gomes for the support and faith placed in him throughout his career. Manju also thanked Mr. C.R. De Silva, former Attorney General of Sri Lanka who lead the team of lawyers including Mr. Kalinga Indatissa, PC, along with Professor Chandrika Wijerathna, Dr B. Dayanath and other doctors who supported him throughout his appeal. He thanked DIG Rohan Abeywardene, President and other officials of the Amateur Boxing Association of Sri Lanka and the sporting public who stood by him in his time of need.
Published 23th May 2010 |
