World Rugby cuts 60% of Sri Lanka’s grant
The Lankans in action during one of their international ties
World Rugby has substantially cut the 2017 annual grant to Sri Lanka Rugby Union (SLRU), according to reliable sources. Annually, World Rugby provides a grant of 40,000 Pounds for development and infrastructure programmes but, this year, the grant is down to 15,000 Pounds.
The cut of 25,000 Pounds is said to be a penalty for fielding a Fijian player in the Sri Lanka side in 2014, which later revealed it was not in accordance with World Rugby guidelines for foreign or expatriate players representing another country.
However, a source close to the SLRU stated it was not the reason for the cut in the World Rugby’s annual grant but an administrative bungling was behind the issue. “The reason for the cut is not executing the proposed plans documented for 2015, when the SLRU was under a Competent Authority appointed by the Minister of Sports.”
“The SLRU has been notified that Sri Lanka will be penalised with a fine of 25,000 Pounds for not completing the proposed projects in 2015.”
The Competent Authority in 2015 was then Director General of the Ministry of Sports, K.D.S. Ruwanchandra, who performed similar roles at 16 other Sports governing bodies, due to a dispute in the Sports Law of the country.
In addition, the SLRU is also under another commitment to pay a fine of 25,000 Pounds in ten years, for a previous offence according to the source. The World Ruby has, however, found Sri Lanka guilty of playing Fijian, Emori Waqavulagi, with incomplete or invalid documents, at 7s and 15s Internationals in 2014.
The WR has fined Sri Lanka 25,000 Pounds, the similar amount that is being cut by this year’s grant, but The SLRU has requested that the latest fine of 25,000 Pounds be paid in ten annual instalments, which the World Rugby has agreed to, and the cut will commence, possibly, from next year @ 2,500 Pounds cut from the annual grant.
While the annual grant amounts to Rs 7,820,000, this year, the SLRU will receive Rs 2,932,500, with Rs 4,887,500 slashed for the penalty. The SLRU, at present, is drafting a fresh and comprehensive action plan for the coming year, for the World Rugby, to avoid a similar fate in the future.