Amarasekere had represented the Sri Lanka Army. The women athletes had represented the Sri Lanka Navy and the country at international level.

Amarasekere, a Gold medallist at regional level and a member of Sri Lanka’s 400 metre relay team to the Olympics, is under investigation for helping a Tamil woman to obtain a UK visa. Police are in touch with the British High Commission.

Police , SSP Ranjith Gunasekera yesterday told ‘The Island’ that Amarasekere had introduced the woman to the British High Commission as his wife. The High Commission had swiftly provided her with a visa, he said, adding that the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) was handling the investigation. He said that the two women athletes had helped two Muslim youth to obtain UK visas by introducing them as their husbands. They were remanded till October 8, when the CCD on Sunday produced them before a Magistrate in Colombo.

CCD Chief, SSP Anura Senanayake told ‘The Island’ that the visa racket came to light when the CCD arrested Rangakumar Wimalawansha on a charge of extorting Rs. 1.5 million from a person living in Kandy. The official said that Wimalawansha had taken the money, promising the complainant assistance to obtain a genuine UK visa. After failing to help him to obtain a genuine visa, Wimalawansha had sought the assistance from a forger in Negombo. "We raided Negombo," Senanayake said, adding that under interrogation, Wimalawansha had revealed the involvement of National athletes in the racket.

The three athletes had received Rs. 200,000 to Rs. 300,000 for their part in the scam.

Investigators said that Wimalawansha had charged Rs. 3 million from some of those who received his assistance to obtain UK visas.

Responding to our queries, Senanayake said that they were investigating the possibility of some of them being involved with the LTTE.

He said that the kingpin of this racket could have enticed many more athletes.