Sri Lanka's Supreme Court on Friday cleared the way for cricketer-turned-politician Arjuna Ranatunga to seek the presidency of the island's cricket board, nullifying the government's recent ban on politicians heading sports bodies.
Judge Asoka de Silva said the government rule had violated Ranatunga's constitutional rights to equal treatment and to choose an occupation, Ranatunga's attorney, Deshan Hewawithana, informed.
The judge also ordered sports minister Johnston Fernando to pay Ranatunga's legal costs of 50,000 rupees (US$526).
The sports minister issued a notice last year banning politicians from holding positions in sports bodies. He said it was meant to free sports of political interference.
Ranatunga, who was elected to parliament in December, 2001, as a member of the opposition People's Alliance, said he had announced 10 years ago that he someday wanted to head Sri Lanka's Cricket Board.
He played 93 Tests and 269 one-day internationals after his debut in 1982, scoring 5,105 and 7456 runs, respectively.
He also led Sri Lanka to win the 1996 World Cup.
The cricket board is presently being run by an interim committee, and no election date has been set.
