The representatives of the provinces who are the stakeholders of the Rugby Football Union of Sri Lanka met with Jarrad Gallagher on Saturday the first of May. Gallagher is the IRB General Manger for Rugby in Asia and was here to witness first hand the conduct of the Annual General Meeting. The Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union was called off again on the 30th of April due to a lack of a quorum.
The Provincial representatives discussed their position and also the implications of not having an elected body with Gallagher. Reliable sources confirmed that the General Manger discussed and convinced then of the need to have the Annual General Meeting before the deadline and also that it could happen only if the stakeholders attend the meeting. The sources confirmed that they will cooperate and all they ask is that there is an agenda and that fresh nominations are called. They also are of the view that that there has been apprehension that the two names already nominated may be rejected if fresh nominations are called. For the interest of the game the provinces are agreeable to treating those nominations too as accepted but need to face a contest with any other new nominations. They are also willing to agree to a reduction of the notice period d to ensure that the elected body is in place before the end of May.
IRB General Manager for Asia Jarrad Gallagher was emphatic that Sri Lanka will be taken off the role of members if they do not have an elected body in place by the end of the day of 31st May 2010. When I met and spoke to him he said that there will not be any extension and there will be no further concessions. He also said that the constituent bodies must beware of what they want which might not be the same as what they get.
The need is to have an elected body in place and that should be the priority. He explained that this also means that there will be no funds released to Sri Lanka by the IRB and Sri Lanka will be out of the Asian 5 nations too. He also said that in certain areas such as match official appointments in Asia Sri Lanka is virtually out of the loop. In this regard there has been a conflict with Sri Lanka failing to endorse and inform referees who have been appointed for international matches. ARFU referees committee follows protocol by informing referees via the national body. If these are not communicated and or contested or countered it does not follow that another will get the place.
The main issue as seen by the stakeholders is that it appears that they do not seem to have faith in the system as they seem to feel that those who are involved in running the affairs for rugby are foreign. The President of the Interim believes that they have done and served the game in these troubled times and they have done well.
Who is right or wrong is not the issue but to see that Sri Lanka have an elected body in place and preserve their membership is what is important opined a stalwart. They also said that it is only by having an elected body in place that the perceived intruders can be replaced. |
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