Violence, class, power and politics
View(s):Violence, class, power and politics, the School Rugby (SR) wrangle has it all, except the involvement of sex and drugs, to complete a scandal. Is the answer to spectator brawling in SR is to ban spectators. An option that is difficult to enforce.
Plato stated that, “The moral value of exercises and sports far outweigh the physical value.” this sentiment is still highly relevant today. Indeed, a number of recent studies have shown that youth sport helps. The transmission of positive values between parents and children is generally considered to be the hallmark of successful socialization.
The Sunday Times spoke to the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association President Ranjith Chandrasekara (RC) on the current impasse of SR. RC, a veteran of heading SR, has made a return to give leadership, since March 2018. RC was of the view that that old boys, as responsible adults, need to set an example to the citizens of tomorrow. Funding is important but, inculcating values in the minds of the young is more important. SR needs and has to work with many. He said that each must understand and play his role accordingly.
The referee has a role, so has a coach and so has the old boys of a school. If each understands their role and that, each has a contribution to make, these problems will be less. He also said that the Schools section has a role and so has Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR). “It is only by working together that we can take this game forward. There can never be any progress if the stakeholders start squabbling in public,” was his view. He said he accepted that Rugby is played in accordance with World Rugby (WR) rules and regulations.WR allows a degree of flexibility to change the domestic regulations. There is always a mention of international matches, where WR is a must but, there is freedom to change in non International matches. These have to be discussed and sorted out with the interest of Junior Rugby and thinking for the future of National Rugby. Public confrontation and or emotional outburst will not help.
So, it is necessary for all to sit around the table and sort out issues. The Laws and affiliation to SLR as a must may be there, and we are willing to work on the guidelines. To us, the leading light is the Ministry of Education (MoE) and their directives. If Rugby is to continue as a school sport, both the directives of the MoE and the guidelines from SLR must coexist and work in harmony. He squashed the talk that the tournament manual has not been distributed. He quipped that our relationship is with the schools and not the old boy’s societies, and it is left to the school authorities to circulate the document to the various advisory units working with the schools, as well as to coaches. RC was of the view that the old boys are an integral part of the Rugby development process in schools, and that the heads of institutions work together. The importance is to add value to the student and not do things that will have a negative impact. You may win a trophy or a shield but, in the process, if many unsavory acts occur, the winning represented by a piece of metal is of no use to society. The need is to be socially conscious and move to be socially responsible, than to respond to events that we like or don’t like.
The trading of punches has been on in the last few days. Many from the advisory brigades blame the Referees, while in turn, the Referees blame the old boy network which has created the violence. The SLR points fingers at the Schools and say that the tournament is not sanctioned. The Schools don’t accept everything the SLR says. Referees use the ‘Right of Reply’ to blame the media of bias. Somebody says a Referee can make 5 mistakes while others say it is 15. Just as some read the Laws and think they know the Law, what is not clear reading a book is that, there are ways the Laws are interpreted and applied. So, has the number of mistakes to be interpreted. Some say that the reason why old boys love violence is because they drink from the cup that cheers, before they come to a match or, they guzzle in corners of the ground. It is like a circus merry-go-round going round and round.
It is like a visit to an asylum where an inmate may ask who you are. Supposing you say you are the Minister of xxxxx, the inmate may advise you that after you spend a few days you will be alright. You believe they are sick and they believe you are sick. The great thought that they profess is that in a few days you will be all right, but you do not entertain the thought they will get better.
It is the same thought process that is rooted in Rugby and, just at this time, it is about SR. Referees think the back-to-school type spectators are abusive. These adults think the Referee is not good enough and the Principals are helpless in disciplining old boy ragamuffins.
Adding fuel is the talk on who should Referee or, who should not, and how bad the Referees were. Sometimes I wonder whether there is awareness of what we are comparing with. The perception is when the same Referee does 5 out of 6 or 7, and the team wins. The question then is, why the same Referee? It is not for one school but, for at least a few of the top schools. In this situation, the team knows the Referee and coaches will adjust accordingly. So, they win and people call it bias refereeing. It is not bias but, the coaches making use of an incompetency. If I look at the 4 top contenders and who officiated, invariably, it is 1 for 6 of each school.
It is easy to blame and throw out a Referee, and each time he throws in the towel, his place is taken by the next best, and never a better Referee. The rot did not start yesterday or today. It has been around for about 20 years, when Referees threw in the towel because of physical threats and or, because they have had enough abuse. Many went before their time, paving the way for the Peter Principle. A concept developed by Laurence J. Peter; which observes that people in a hierarchy tend to rise to their “level of incompetence”.