COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s sports minister accused the country’s top cricket administrators of being “traitorous and corrupt” Saturday, escalating a bitter row between the government and officials running the island’s most popular sport.

Minister Roshan Fernando and the national cricket board — the richest sporting body in the country — have been at loggerheads over corruption allegations for months.

The dispute could see the International Cricket Council (ICC) suspend Sri Lanka, which would deprive it of the opportunity to host international competitions.

“The spirit of the game has been overwhelmed by a handful of people who are motivated only by money,” said Fernando.

“I call the current conduct of Sri Lankan Cricket officials shameless, traitorous, and unfaithful to the cricket-loving community of Sri Lanka.”

His comments came in a letter to the ICC, which has reportedly threatened to suspend Sri Lanka Cricket over alleged political interference by the minister.

A 260-page government audit highlighted widespread corruption in Sri Lanka’s participation at last year’s T20 World Cup in Australia.

The minister appointed a three-member panel to probe malpractice in the cricket administration, which denied the allegations and refused to cooperate, pointing to the ICC rules on political meddling.

Fernando withdrew the inquiry.

“The decision of Sri Lanka Cricket officials to remain in their offices even after the government audit... is a clear display of the unethical and shameless attitude they carry,” he said in his letter to the ICC, asking for its support to tackle corruption.

Sri Lankan cricket has been embroiled in multiple allegations of graft and match-fixing over the years, with the ICC itself penalising several players and officials.

The country has not won the cricket World Cup since its sole victory in 1996, with Fernando blaming the board for the “deterioration” of standards since then.

Another cabinet minister, Prasanna Ranatunga, told parliament in August that Sri Lanka’s 1996 win turned out to be a “curse” in disguise and led to corruption.

“The World Cup victory was the biggest curse for our cricket,” said Ranatunga, a younger brother of Arjuna Ranatunga, who skippered Sri Lanka to victory in 1996.

“Money started flowing to the cricket board after 1996 and with that came those who wanted to steal.”