Cricket Coach Dulip Samaraweera Banned for 20 Years Following Conduct Breach

Influential cricket coach Dulip Samaraweera has been banned from holding any position in Australian cricket for 20 years. He was found guilty of a serious breach of the code of conduct relating to historic misconduct involving a woman. This conduct has been described as “utterly reprehensible.”

Samaraweera, originally from Sri Lanka and a former Test player, has resided in Melbourne for nearly two decades. He was a senior figure in the local cricket scene and was appointed as the head coach of Victoria’s women’s team earlier this year. However, he resigned from his coaching position after just two weeks in May and is no longer employed by Cricket Victoria.

An investigation carried out by Cricket Australia‘s integrity department led to the case being referred to the sport’s conduct commission. The 52-year-old was found to have violated the “catch-all” provision in the code of conduct. This provision concerns conduct against the spirit of the game and aims to prevent bringing the sport into disrepute.

Cricket Victoria’s Chief Executive, Nick Cummins, commended the woman involved for her bravery in coming forward. Cummins stated, “We strongly support the decision taken by the code of conduct commission today, banning Dulip Samaraweera for 20 years.” He added that the behavior was “utterly reprehensible” and a betrayal of the values held by Cricket Victoria.

Cummins praised the woman’s “incredible strength of character and courage,” affirming that she will continue to have support in achieving her goals both on and off the field. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a safe and supportive environment for all involved in cricket, stressing, “We will not tolerate any behavior which compromises that position, or our people, and will always support our culture of speaking up.”

Cricket Australia released a statement affirming their commitment to providing a safe environment for all players and employees. The organization stressed that the welfare of those subjected to mistreatment is of utmost importance.

Samaraweera has had a long history of working with some of Australia’s finest female cricketers. He was also an assistant coach for Australia’s under-19 women’s team during the 2022–23 season. During his playing career in the 1990s, he represented Sri Lanka in seven Test matches and five One Day Internationals (ODIs).