Now rugby faces sanctions
Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) is at risk of facing possible sanctions and being banned from competing at tournaments conducted by the International Rugby Board (IRB) or the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) according to new developments.
The IOC and IRB have issued Sports Minister Navin Dissanayake (L) and SLRFU head Asanga Seneviratne (R) with red notices
This came to light after the incumbent president of SLRFU, Asanga Seneviratne received an official communiqué from Ross Mitchell, General Manager of ARFU demanding clear explanations on crucial points with regard to the much-debated Annual General Meeting of SLRFU. The letter to Seneviratne from Mitchell dated April 11, points out certain aspects of a letter sent to the Minister of Sports of Sri Lanka, Navin Dissanayake and copied to Thomas Bach, the President of the International Olympic Council (IOC), all International Sports Federations concerned including the IRB and the ARFU and the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka.
Mitchell’s letter to Seneviratne states: “the IOC is expressing very grave concerns regarding Government interference in the running of sporting activities in Sri Lanka, contrary to the basic principles of autonomy. The SLRFU, as one of the National Federations, must be free from any undue Government interference, as per our dialogue at the recent ARFU EXCO.”
In reply Mitchell in his letter demands clear responses to four quarries which are: — “Is the National Federation (SLRFU) being required to hold elections under the existing Sports Law of Sri Lanka?; does the existing Sports Law conflict with the SLRFU’s own constitution in any way e.g. impose limited terms of office for the SLRFU office bearers?; has the National Federation been invited to contribute to the process of redrafting the Sports Law (as per the agreed roadmap)? And has the SLRFU been invited to review its existing constitution and to make any amendments that are not in line with the basic tenets of the World Rugby/ARFU constitution?”
The letter also asks for confirmation if any revision process has been started or is in progress or has been completed. “As is clear from the latest IOC correspondence dated 7th April, the IOC has set a final deadline of 31st May 2015 for compliance with the agreed roadmap and for the Sports Law to have full compatibility with the principles of the Olympic Movement.”
“If this does not take place the International Federation (World Rugby) together with the Asian Federation (ARFU) may be required to take action to protect the autonomy of the National Federation. This may unfortunately result in Sri Lankan Rugby being suspended from taking part in any sporting event until the matter has been satisfactorily concluded,” the letter goes on to say.
On April 7, Minister of Sports Navin Dissanayake received a package from Jérôme Poivey, the Head of Institutional Relations and Governance of the NOC Relations Department from the IOC Headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. The package included a joint letter along with all relevant attachments and copies of previous IOC letters sent to the former Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage dated March 12, 2013; September 6, 2013; November 15, 2013; December 6, 2013; February 28, 2014 and November 24, 2014.
The letter signed by Patrick J. Hickey, an IOC Executive Board Member and IOC Delegate Member for Autonomy, Francesco Ricci Bitti, the President of Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) and Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, the President of Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) points out the failure of the previous Ministry of Sports administration led by Aluthgamage despite constant reminders.
“We understand that some progress has been made to produce a revised draft; however, the process has not been finalised within the deadlines established initially with your predecessor. With your recent appointment, we were therefore expecting that appropriate action would be taken to complete this process as soon as possible. Surprisingly, we were informed recently that, instead of finalising this first step, you decided to move forward unilaterally by instructing the national sports federations to hold their elections under the current sports legislation,” IOC’s letter to Minister Dissanayake states.
The IOC letter to the Minister as well as the letter sent by the ARFU to the SLRFU clearly states of one consequence Sri Lanka, as a country could possibly face if the Government pushes sports governing bodies for elections or appoint interim governing bodies. “Consequently, it is not acceptable and it is our duty to warn you that the international sports institutions concerned will not be able to recognise the results of elections orchestrated unilaterally by your Ministry. In addition, should this happen, the international sports institutions concerned would be compelled to consider appropriate protective measures (including suspension), which unfortunately would considerably damage the representation of your country at international sporting events,” the IOC letter to the Minister copied to the IRB states.
Minister Navin Dissanayake, on April 6, a day prior to receiving the letter from the IOC appointed an interim committee to look into the day-to-day affairs of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) under former national Test cricketer Sidath Wettimuny. The International Cricket Council (ICC), though not affiliated to the IOC, too replied harshly on the Minister’s decision warning of similar sanctions on the Sri Lanka cricket team.