体坛英语新闻：Sri Lanka bans cricket players from matches in Indian state

COLOMBO, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's cricket governing body has decided to ban Sri Lankan players from attending matches held in the southern Indian State of Tamil Nadu during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2013 season on security fears, a statement said here on Wednesday.

The decision was taken based on advice from Sri Lanka's External Affairs Ministry as well as recent media reports of attacks on Sri Lankans travelling to Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka Cricket said in the statement.

"It was decided that the No Objection Certificates (NOC) issued to the players be restricted to exclude their appearance at any venue in the state of Tamil Nadu," the statement said.

Sri Lanka Cricket has also consulted with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on player safety.

In response the BCCI on Tuesday decided that the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2013 matches in Chennai in Tamil Nadu will not feature any Sri Lankan cricketers or match officials.

"The security of all involved in the IPL, whether players, spectators or those working in the stadiums, is of paramount importance to the BCCI," the statement from BCCI said.

"The governing council decided that Sri Lankan players will not participate in the IPL 2013 league matches in Chennai and will advise the nine franchises accordingly."

This followed growing political tensions, stemming from the treatment of ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka. Over the weekend two Buddhist monks were attacked in Tamil Nadu along with 16 tourists amid heightened tension with Colombo.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha in a letter to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh insisted that the appearance of Sri Lankan cricketers in Chennai would escalate already surcharged tensions and called for them not to be allowed into the state.

"In such a hostile and tense environment, we apprehend that the participation of Sri Lankan players in the IPL tournament, with many games to be played in Chennai, will aggravate an already surcharged atmosphere and further offend the sentiments of the people," her letter stated unequivocally.

Earlier this month the DMK, the main opposition party in Tamil Nadu and a key ally of the federal government, pulled out of the ruling coalition at the center asking for sterner measures to redress alleged atrocities towards Tamils in Sri Lanka.