Jersey snag bugs junior rugby
Now a new controversy has befallen Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SRLFU) when the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) decided to blacken the SLRFU logo off the Sri Lanka national Under-19 rugby jersey for the last two games against Hong Kong and Chinese Taipei at the recently completed Singer ARFU JWRT qualifier games which were played in Colombo.
It is common knowledge that the SLSRFA officials have always been at logger heads with the SLRFU in the past, but never in the Union’s over one hundred and thirty year history has anything of this nature has occurred.
The SLRFU’s ‘Tusker’ logo
As a result of the above, there is a likelihood of the International Rugby Board (IRB) taking action against the local rugby authority over the incident. The incident took place when the SLSRFA officials decided to take back the jerseys from the junior Lankan players after their game against South Korea and send them to the printers and have the SLRFU Union logo blackened out for the last two games.
Prior to the tournament Sri Lankan junior lads were presented with two sets of jerseys with one being blue and the other green. The Lankan lads played their first game against South Korea donning their green jerseys.
The seriousness of this action and the possible consequences that could follow was also witnessed in a similar incident in the recent past. Barely six weeks ago the IRB slapped hefty fines on the South African Rugby Union when their national team wore black arm bands in protest in their third test against the British Lions early this year. The SARU was fined 10,000 Sterling Pounds, whilst the captain was fined 2000 Sterling Pounds and the rest of the team 1000 Sterling Pounds for bringing the game into disrepute in breach of the IRB regulations.
The President of the SLSRFA Ranjith Chandrasekera and also the Secretary Susantha Mendis said that the SLRFU did not have anything to do with this tournament and that they run as an independent body. That is why they decided to blacken the SLRFU Union logo even though it was originally included.
Jivan Goonatilleke the manager of the Sri Lankan side was unaware of this incident. First he was not present for the second game against Hong Kong and only knew about this incident just prior to the third game against Chinese Taipei.
Lasitha Gunaratne the Vice President of the SLRFU went on to say that it is constituted and clearly documented that the SLSRFA is affiliated to the SLRFU. The SLRFU is the administrative, functional and controlling body for the game of Rugby Union Football played in the country.
“It is extremely sad that the SLSRFA has behaved in this manner. This does not affect any official at the SLRFU personally but the game of rugby
The SLRFU logo (on right arm) was blackened in the midst of the JWRT
is certainly brought into disrepute. After all it was the SLRFU who permitted the SLSRFA to handle the event and also financially assisted them for this tourney” concluded Gunaratne.
Nalin de Silva the honorary secretary of the SLRFU speaking to the Sunday Times said “I work closely with both parties and also very closely with the Ministry of Education with regard to the development of the sport.
This unfortunate incident should not have taken place and it is high time both parties put their differences aside and stop pointing fingers at each other. We have to view whatever issues that persists as ‘our’ problem and work together for the greater good of the sport,” concluded De Silva.
Reliable sources confirmed that the SLRFU has officially complained to the Union’s Council and the matter will be taken up against the SLSRFA who in spite of their haughtiness, were incapable of even obtaining the teams approval from the Ministry of Sports before the first game kicked off.