It is understood that Warnaweera is under investigation by the ICC’s ACU.

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Galle chief curator Jayananda Warnaweera has been banned from all cricket activities for two years by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) after he did not turn up for two interviews with the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU).

Warnaweera, who is allegedly being investigated by the ACU, was issued a show-cause notice after failing to attend a meeting with anti-corruption officials in Colombo last month.

While the SLC had unofficially told Warnaweera to step back from his chief curator position in October, his failure to attend the meeting led to him being suspended.

“Following disciplinary proceedings taken by Sri Lanka Cricket arising from charges that Mr. Jayananda Warnaweera failed to attend two interviews scheduled to be held by the Anti-Corruption Unit of the ICC, and failed to cooperate with and assist the investigation being carried out by the Anti-Corruption Unit and related charges of misconduct, the Interim Committee of SLC has suspended Mr. Warnaweera from cricket, cricket management and representation for a period of two years,” a board statement said.

After Warnaweera failed to show up for the meeting last month, ACU officials met SLC officials and it is understood that the former told the latter that Warnaweera was under investigation.

While details of the investigation against Warnaweera are classified, the ICC confirmed that they have built a solid case against the 54-year-old based on financial records and him allegedly being in contact with bookmakers.

Just days prior to missing his meeting with ACU officials, Warnaweera stepped down from the interim committee and since then, SLC officials have confirmed that he has “gone missing” and added that it is “very difficult to contact” him.