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Sri Lanka Cricket suspends arrested cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka from all forms of cricket

Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 07 Nov 2022, 04:21 am Print

Sri Lanka Cricket suspends arrested cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka from all forms of cricket Danushka Gunathilaka

Image: Danushka Gunathilaka Facebook page

Colombo: Sri Lankan Cricket on Monday suspended cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka, who was arrested and charged with sexual assault in Australia, from all forms of cricket with immediate effect.

The cricket board said Danushka will not be considered for any selections.

"Furthermore, Sri Lanka Cricket will take the necessary steps to promptly carry out an inquiry into the alleged offense, and, upon conclusion of the aforementioned court case in Australia, steps will be taken to penalize the said player if found guilty," Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement.

"Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to emphasize that it adopts a 'zero tolerance' policy for any such conduct by a player and will provide all the required support to the Australian law enforcement authorities to carry out an impartial inquiry into the incident," read the statement.

Danushka Gunathilaka has been arrested and charged with sexually assault in Sydney, police said on Sunday.

"Sex Crimes Squad detectives have charged a Sri Lankan national following an investigation into the alleged sexual assault of a woman in Sydney’s east last week," New South Wales Police said in a statement.

"Yesterday (Saturday 5 November 2022), detectives from the State Crime Command’s Sex Crimes Squad and Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command commenced a joint investigation under Strike Force Veteran following reports a 29-year-old woman had been sexually assaulted at a residence in Rose Bay earlier this week," read the statement.

"The woman met with the man after communicating with him for a number of days via an online dating application; it’s alleged he then sexually assaulted her on the evening of Wednesday 2 November 2022," read the statement.

"As part of ongoing investigations, a crime scene examination was undertaken by specialist police at an address in Rose Bay yesterday," the statement further said.

"Following further inquiries, a 31-year-old man was arrested at a hotel on Sussex Street, Sydney, shortly before 1am today (Sunday 6 November 2022)," the police said.

Police said he was taken to Sydney City Police Station and charged with four counts of sexual intercourse without consent.