Saverimutto at the wrong end and time?
View(s):Alastair Saverimutto, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) is afraid of becoming a victim of a well-planned sabotage, the Sunday Times learns. Saverimutto, who hailed Asanga Seneviratne, the President of SLRFU, as a man on a mission, has now been subjected to harassment from some high-handed individuals within and close to the rugby circle.
Alastair Saverimutto (left) with former naitonal coach Phil Greening (centre)
Interestingly after Saverimutto’s appointment as the CEO the SLRFU coffer has dried out and its debt has reached the mark of Rs. 1 billion. This is despite conducting the money-oriented Serendib Cup International Rugby tournament, which attracted top sponsors.
It is reliably understood that while Seneviratne has gone abroad on a business trip certain facilities granted to Saverimutto have been blocked under instructions of some unnamed individuals. First, the electricity supply to the residence Saverimutto was housed at was disconnected with a claim that the bills were overdue. Days after coming out of that nightmare Saverimutto’s mobile phone connection was cut despite the service provider making requests to settle dues. It is reliably learnt that an individual has told the mobile service provider that neither Seneviratne nor his office is committed to pay any bills that are utilised by outsiders. Sources close to Saverimutto revealed that he has settled the pending amount out of his own pocket.
In addition Saverimutto has lost the work station assigned to him by Seneviratne at his office premises at the Lakpahana Building located at Reid Avenue in Colombo. The SLRFU office is located at the BMICH premises.
Months earlier, former England player Phil Greenings, who was appointed the Sri Lanka coach, was unceremoniously sent back for unknown reasons after serving for nearly a year. Similar fates followed former England Sevens star Ben Gollings and an English trainer employed by SLRFU upon his recommendation. Both of them had not been paid for months by the SLRFU according to reports. South African Ravin du Plessis was the last to be chucked without a clear explanation. Du Plessis was later employed by the Hambantota Sharks as its Director Coach.
Local rugby experts fear that Saverimutto is the fifth in line in this series of axing, conducted by certain former and present individuals in the local rugby administration. But at the same time they lament that the SLRFU is not in a strong position to meet the salary of Saverimutto, who was promised an undisclosed but reportedly staggering monthly pay. Insiders say that Saverimutto, who will be flying to his homeland in England, has not been paid for several months and he is unlikely to return after the Christmas vacation.
“Yes, it has been challenging for me from the moment I arrived here but it doesn’t mean that I’m not returning. I’ll be back in January after spending Christmas and New Year with my family and after that there are pending issues, not just one or two but many, to be sorted,” Saverimutto told the Sunday Times a day prior to his departure.
Saverimutto, a former England Under-19 fly half, went on to represent top English club sides Bath, Bristol and Gloucester as a professional player, before turning toward football administration. He later became a top administrator at several English football clubs including Everton, handling Commercial Operations, at Bournemouth as CEO and at Gabala FC in Azerbaijan as Chief Operating Officer, before joining SLRFU. Despite Saverimutto’s qualifications at the top level, local rugby experts opine that he is at the wrong end here in Sri Lanka at the wrong time.
- NA