Schools rugby red carded
View(s):The red card issue connected with school rugby is now gathering momentum in other areas as well. Once again a red card has been issued to a St. Anthony’s College First XV player in their Schools Under-20 Division I A match played against Isipathana College at the Bogambara Stadium last weekend.
Sources reveal that three more red cards have been issued in matches played in other divisions too.
It is also said that the schools involved have assumed that the mandatory two-match suspension is not effective and they are of the view that the suspension is effective only for one match. The Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) is now in a dilemma as sources confirmed that deprived parties are seeking legal assistance as confusions prevail on the system.
At times tackles of this nature could be categorised as ‘dangerous’ considering the safety of school rugby players concerned. - File pic
It is also understood that a top VVIP who conveyed the message to the SLSRFA has not been briefed of the repercussions or the actual situation of the punishment when the school section officials were forced to lift the ban, out of the blues.
The punishment was a two-match ban which included a span of four weeks as there were no matches played on two weekends due to the Holy Week and the Asian5Nations rugby tournament. This has been misrepresented by interested parties of some schools involved as covering a four-week period which looks too hard on a schoolboy player.
Meanwhile it is also understood that the Ministry of Sports has appointed a fact-finding committee including Prof. Arjun de Silva and Dr. Maiya Gunasekera to report on the incident at the Wesley vs Isipathana First XV match played in the opening week of the schools season.
The committee had met last Thursday. The problem concerns a player who received a head injury (concussed) and returned to play using the excuse that he had a blood injury.
The Ministry of Sports who have issued a policy guideline on the need to maintain the safety of players appears to be concerned about the conduct of school and other officials who allowed the player to resume play.
- VP
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