An investigation was launched in Sri Lanka after Thampu Nelka Shiromala issued a "sexual [mental] harassment" complaint against Gomes, a member of the International Boxing Association (IBA) Board of Directors.

According to Sri Lankan newspaper The Daily Morning Sports, Shiromala filed the complaint to both the head office of the Women’s and Child Protection Bureau of Sri Lanka and the Colombo Magistrates Court in January this year.

Shiromala is widely regarded as Sri Lanka’s first female boxing referee, as well as being a chief police inspector.

She was chosen to referee the Olympic boxing competition at Tokyo 2020 where she officiated the finals of both the men’s light heavyweight and women’s lightweight categories.

insidethegames understands that the complaint levelled at Gomes relates to an alleged sexist remark made against Shiromala during the national trials for last year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, staged at the Royal MAS Arena in 2021.

It is reported by The Daily Morning Sports that a team led by the officer in charge of the Crimes Investigation Unit of the Women’s and Child Protection Bureau of Sri Lanka visited the Royal MAS Boxing Arena to start their investigation.

R.K. Indrasena, a technical delegate, told The Daily Morning Sports: "They asked me questions pertaining to the set-up and seating arrangements according to the laid down international standards.

"I informed them during the boxing meets held in Colombo, the SLABA President sometimes positions a seat for himself near the ring which is against the norm.

"It has been the case because no one questions him, since he is the President of the SLABA.

"However during this particular incident, the technical delegate was the current vice-president of the SLABA Hemantha Weerasinghe."

Shiromala told The Daily Morning Sports that she was unable to comment on the claims made against Gomes due to her role as a police officer.

insidethegames has obtained a letter from Buddhika Manatunga, director of the Bureau for the Prevention of Abuse of Children and Women, issued to Gomes confirming that he has been cleared of the allegations.

Following the investigation, the senior superintendent of police said that it had been found that no offences had been substantiated and the matter has now been concluded.

insidethegames also understands that Gomes wrote to the inspector general of police in Colombo earlier this year accusing Shiromala of writing "very scandalous comments" against him in the Sri Lanka Boxing Association Referee and Judge Association WhatsApp group.

Gomes is a high-profile and successful businessman.

He is the former chairman of Hela Clothing and ex-group director of apparel company MAS Holdings. 

The 65-year-old served as head of the SLABA for the first time from 2004 until 2009 before securing the top job again in 2017 and then re-elected for another four-year term in 2020.

During his time in charge, a Sri Lankan boxer competed at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing after a lapse of 40 years.

Gomes also served as Sri Lanka's Chef de Mission at Beijing 2008. 

He presently sits on the Board of Directors at Nestle Lanka PLC. and many other private and public organisations.

Gomes was also vice-president of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka from 2004 until 2016.

At the IBA, Gomes became a member of the Women’s Commission in 2014 and was appointed to the Executive Committee in 2020.

He also sits on the Executive Committee of the Asian Boxing Confederation.

Gomes, who also currently serves as the Honorary Consul of Georgia in Sri Lanka, refused to comment when approached by insidethegames.