VVIP orders school rugby officials to paint green over reds
View(s):The Sunday Times reliably understands that a top most VVIP of the country has played a pivotal role behind the curtain in letting four school rugby players walk free from the two-match ban imposed by the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA).
During the late hours on Thursday (4), the SLSRFA unexpectedly reversed its decision to lift a two-match suspension imposed on four rugby players competing in the ongoing Singer Under-20 Schools Division I A rugby championship.
Accordingly Nimshan Jayawardene of Royal College, Prince Singhe of Science College, Nabeel Saldin of Isipathana College and Ravindra Illangedara of Kingswood College from Division I A were set free by the ‘public pardon’ granted by SLSRFA via the influence of the top hand.
But it is not clear if the two players from a Division I B side, St. Sylvester’s College who received red cards during the same week were also pardoned or not. In the same week Royal’s Jayawardene and Singhe of Science were sent off for throwing punches while the Isipathana’s Saldin was found guilty of stamping on a player on the head. Illangedara of Kingswood was red carded for repeated offences.
Also from the Division I B, two St. Sylvester’s players were sent off for dangerous play, in addition to the spotlighted four players. In addition to the ban handed by the SLSRFA, it is learnt that Isipathana has reproved their player with additional punishment, as they felt the act of trampling an opponent on the ground was a grave act of foul play. However this player too has now been released following the decision of the schools rugby authority.
Incidentally two from four of the teams involved in the scene were in action a day after the reverse of the ban, on Friday (5). An official connected to Royal College confirmed that they did not play their previously reprimanded player, Jayawardene, against St. Peter’s where they lost the match by 31-19. Despite making use of their once-suspended player, Singhe, Science suffered a narrow defeat by 21-20 at the hands of Dharmaraja College Kandy. Interestingly Rohitha Rajapaksa, the youngest of the three siblings of the first family, is directly involved with the Science College coaching staff as a trainer. But the matches supposed to be played by Isipathana and Kingswood colleges have been rescheduled for later weeks due to the school holidays.
Going deep into the incident, a well informed source said that even some from the SLSRFA are not aware on how things went above their control. Officials of SLSRFA failed to provide a clear reason for overturning the suspension imposed on the four players.
The school rugby fraternity is much surprised by the move as they questioned if this was another addition to a series of blunders committed by SLSRFA. About a week ago, the very same committee of the SLSRFA imposed a ban on four players from Division 1 A and two players from Division 1 B, who received a two-match ban after being ordered off by the referee for acts of misconduct.
When questioned on the issue, the SLSRFA officials were defensive in their response. One of them, on the basis of anonymity, said the committee simply followed instructions received from their hierarchy.
However to get matters clarified the president of the SLSRFA was not available. It was later reliably understood that a top VVIP of the country has played a pivotal role behind the scene in letting the four boys free but many wonder what political influence has to do in schools rugby.
Rugby experts condemn the surprising act of the SLSRFA, saying it has opened another can of worms where it would be difficult to maintain discipline as all four incidents were of ‘grave offences’. The biggest question in this circle is whether the authorities are committed in implementing the much-touted player safety and welfare programme as they seem to have opened a new path for turmoil.
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