Will it be a clean pass or another blind-side maneuover–rugby fraternity awaits after court ruling
The ruling issued by the Court of Appeal, directing the Director General of Sports to terminate his attempt to amend the Constitution of Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) comes as a welcome sign to many in the fraternity. The ruling favours a constituted Annual General Meeting or an Election, as sought by the rugby stakeholders, notably the provincial unions who had a bigger say in SLR’s Executive Committee.
But, the real issue to ponder is far from what it looks for rugby in Sri Lanka. The instruction by the Court of Appeal, directing the Director General of Sports to make sure he takes responsibility of holding only the AGM, without the subject of ‘Constitutional Amendments’ is a roadblock to a gradual attempt made by few interested parties to bring the sport to its present calamity. The hollers of Provincial Unions, who were obviously painstakingly miffed by the underhand attempts made by certain clubs to topple their rightful authority, may be seen as self-indulgent by some. But for many within the SLR, it marked the end of democracy, good governance and transparency.
The deceitful downfall of the SLR administration, to the point its governance was handed over to a Competent Authority, who is none other than the Director General of Sports, was seen as a clear indication by many as an act of obliteration. For a Rugby Union that boasts of a rich history of 145 years, the oldest in Asia, and second largest rugby-playing nation in Asia, next to Japan, the administrative obstacles it faced during the recent four years could be termed as a ‘fall from grace’.
Triggered during the tenure of Namal Rajapaksa as Sports Minister, somewhere between 2020 and 2022, the unceasing troubles faced by SLR only escalated to the next level, with legal cases being heard at different courts. SLR’s troubles continued further under Roshan Ranasinghe as Sports Minister during May 2022 to November 2023, where the country faced suspensions from Asia Rugby (AR), followed by a global ban by World Rugby (WR).
Trouble further deepened with the passing of time, as certain individuals and parties sought outside influence to topple the SLR administration under Rizly Illyas, its last President to be duly elected, due to reasons better known to them. Illyas was replaced by his deputy, Nalin de Silva, before the succeeding Sports Minister Harin Fernando dissolved SLR following its failure to conduct the AGM duly according to the country’s own procedure, which states all Sports Associations should hold its respective AGM’s on or before May 31 annually.
And thus, the Director General of Sports was bestowed with powers to run SLR’s day-to-day activities and as the ‘direct contact’ on Sri Lanka rugby affairs to AR and WR. It was during this stage that the Director General of Sports had supposedly contacted AR and WR to put SLR on the ‘right path’, a move condemned by many, including certain clubs and almost all of the provincial unions.
In the meantime, former SLR President Illyas had been critical on how AR treated Sri Lanka, perhaps for being vociferous at the Asian Rugby Council on critical matters at its meetings. As a result, the AR chief escalated matters, punishing Sri Lanka with a baffling suspension in retaliation for Illyas’ questioning.
Out of the many legal battles, a majority have ended favouring the petitioners, with the latest being the ruling issued by the Court of Appeal, to hold the AGM without the subject of constitutional amendments.
Rugby experts, many of them former administrators of SLR, opine that the accepted norm of a Constitutional Amendment, if required, should be done following the correct protocols, with rugby’s stakeholders actively taking part. The thwarting of the attempt made by the Director General of Sports, is considered a win by the majority, who accuse certain clubs’ cold attempt to take control of SLR, pushing aside the majority held by the provincial unions.
Now that the rugby issue has returned to square one, experts firmly say that the only way to put rugby back on track is to follow its own constitution and obey the country’s sports law, if stakeholders are of the view that there should be changes to SLR’s constitution. If the Director General fails to hold the AGM, appoint office bearers and then proceed with a Special General Meeting to amend SLR’s Constitution, then the assumptions made by the majority of rugby stakeholders of “the whole thing is a well scripted attempt to keep a few individuals eternally in power”, would become a truth.
The ball has been now passed on to the court of the Director General of Sports, and Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, the country’s Prime Minister, who also holds six important ministerial portfolios, including sports. The local rugby fraternity, knowing the recent history, is now keenly observing the next move made by the relevant authorities, whether it will be a clean pass or another blind-side maneuover.