World Rugby to review ban on Sri Lanka Rugby
Representatives of World Rugby (WR) will arrive in Sri Lanka on July 4 to review the membership status of Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) according to reliable information. Accordingly David Carrigy, the Chief International Relations and Participation Officer of WR and Ridzal Saat, the Regional Partnership Manager of WR will be in Sri Lanka to meet stakeholders of rugby, including the duly elected SLR Executive Committee, the National Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Sports officials.
According to a letter issued by WR on May 17, its council had considered Sri Lanka’s membership at a meeting held on May 11, and as part of the process the two representatives from the global body will have a series of meetings to reinstate the country’s membership sooner than later.
SLR was initially suspended on April 1 of 2022 by the then Minister of Sports, without proper reasoning, and the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU) followed by banning Sri Lanka, to which the SLR administration responded as political interference. The SLR administration was not given a valid reason for the suspension and as a result the matter was taken to the Court of Appeal by the elected administration.
“The said suspension was issued suddenly and no intimation whatsoever was given to SLR before imposing the said suspension,” an official of SLR said.
SLR later instituted the Court of Appeal on April 20, challenging the said suspension by the minister and the matter was listed for support on May 13. When the matter was pending before the Court of Appeal, ARFU by early May last year made permanent the said temporary suspension. The decision was also taken purely based on the registration suspension issued by the then minister.
The Court of Appeal re-fixed the hearing for April 6 to enable the minister to take steps to revoke the Gazette Notification. However the minister had requested a period of one month from the Court of Appeal to take necessary steps to revoke the Gazette.
The minister on April 10 revoked the previous Gazette Notification and the very next day the minister issued a fresh Gazette Notification stating that SLR’s registration if suspended again. The minister later appointed a Stabilization Committee, to manage the affairs of SLR.
Similarly, the Ministry of Sports’ action caused a global suspension of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka by its parent body FIFA effective from January 21 this year. So far over five months have passed and the suspension remains intact without proper resolution. It is also learnt that the Minister of Sports, Roshan Ranasinghe, will meet FIFA officials in Zurich to discuss on the football ban this week.
Unlike football, despite the suspension SLR managed to complete its domestic competitions and other activities until WR handed Sri Lanka a global suspension. During the suspension by ARFU, Sri Lanka was represented at the Asian 7s Series under the NOC flag. With the global suspension Sri Lanka is barred from taking part at any competition outside Sri Lanka.
The two WR officials will meet all stakeholders with the intention of revoking the suspension on SLR, who is recognised by the NOC, International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Council of Asia as the duly elected governing body.