LPL ends agreement with Dambulla Thunders after owner's apprehension

The coveted Lanka Premier League (LPL 2024) has taken swift action following the arrest of Dambulla Thunders' owner, Tamim Rahman, in Colombo. Rahman, a British national of Bangladeshi origin, was apprehended under Sri Lanka's sports law, sparking concerns of corruption within the league.

Rahman's arrest came just a day after a high-profile player auction, where his team, Dambulla Thunders, made significant investments, including securing the most expensive foreign player, Afghanistan's all-rounder Karim Janat, for $80,000.

The arrest, conducted by the special investigation unit of the sports ministry at the Colombo International Airport, has raised suspicions of match-fixing and attempted betting organizations. Rahman has been remanded in custody pending further investigations until May 31.

Check out Dambulla Thunders owner's arrest moment here:

Lanka Premier League Dambulla Thunders team owner Tamim Rahman, a British citizen of Bangladesh origin, remanded till May 31st over match fixing related charges

📸 Dambulla Thunders pic.twitter.com/rLUNZj6cts

— Azzam Ameen (@AzzamAmeen) May 22, 2024

This incident marks the first arrest of an official associated with the LPL since its inception four years ago. Under Sri Lanka's sports act, individuals found guilty of such offenses face severe penalties, including hefty fines and imprisonment of up to 10 years.

Also Check: LPL 2024 Schedule Date, Time, Fixtures, Teams, Venue details announced

The termination of Dambulla Thunders' contract by the LPL underscores the league's commitment to maintaining integrity and transparency. While details of the corruption allegations remain unclear, the authorities are actively pursuing the matter to uphold the integrity of the sport.

Dambulla Thunders' future in uncertain, Sri Lanka passed sports bill to tackle corruption

The future of the Dambulla Thunders franchise and the league as a whole is currently uncertain. The team needs new ownership to finance its operations, having already changed owners three times since the league's inception in 2020. Notably, Dambulla finished second in last year's competition as Dambulla Aura, but those owners later faced financial fraud charges.

Also Read: LPL Auction 2024: Full list of retained and sold players

In November 2019, Sri Lanka became the first South Asian country to criminalize several match-fixing offences, passing all three readings of the Prevention of Offences Related to Sports bill.