The Sleeping Baby and the Forging Chiefs
The incident, which took place in the early and mid-parts of 2014, when SLR named three Fiji nationals as eligible to represent Sri Lanka based on WR Regulation 8, under Eligibility. Sri Lanka claimed, as Rajapaksa mentioned in his response to Gamage, that the three players, namely Emori Waqavulagi, Joseph Dunn and Apisai Naqaliva were eligible as one of their parents or grandparents were born here.
Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa was part of the Sri Lanka team that fielded the three Fijians against Philippines in Colombo
The three players represented Sri Lanka during the Asian5Nations Series in 2014, the last time the island nation competed alongside regional heavyweights, and during the Asian 7s Series, where the country performed exceptionally. As Rajapaksa mentioned in his response, it was a trade unionist who became WR’s whistleblower, also a member of the present government that stirred a ‘needless can of worms’, or in his own words ‘illang kanawa’ (asking for trouble).
However, the truth is a total contrast, as claimed by both Rajapaksa and Gamage. After 2014, Sri Lanka totally forgot the existence of the three Fijians, who returned to their native land to continue with their sporting career. The three Waqavulagi, Dunn and Naqaliva played domestic rugby in Fiji, and eventually earned passage to enter their national programme by 2015. Eventually one of the three who turned out for Sri Lanka, Emori Waqavulagi, was picked to represent Fiji at the Dubai International 7s late in 2015. Until then the three Fijians were known to be ‘Sri Lankan rugby players’ by WR.
“It is with regret that we have removed Emori Waqavulagi from the squad to Dubai. It was brought to our attention that he has previously played for Sri Lanka at the 15s and 7s level and is therefore capped under World Rugby Regulations for Sri Lanka. We have subsequently sought an urgent ruling from the World Rugby Regulations Committee as to Emori’s eligibility to play for Fiji and that process has commenced – however indications are that this will not be completed prior to the Dubai Sevens. Whilst World Rugby will launch a full investigation into his eligibility we have no other option than to exclude him,” a statement issued by Fiji Rugby in mid-November of 2014 stated.
Investigations conducted by WR continued until August 2016, when Sri Lanka was asked to make a show cause notice for fielding Emori Waqavulagi in the national team without following the protocols. In other words, WR directly charged Sri Lanka for breaching Regulation 8.1 under ‘Eligibility to play for National Representative Teams’.
Eventually, after being found guilty of the breach of the said regulation, Sri Lanka was landed with a hefty fine of Sterling Pounds 50,000, which amounts to nearly SLR 20million according to current exchange rates. This was after WR firmly uncovered that it was the same Emori Waqavulagi who donned the Sri Lanka jersey in their Asian5Nations game against the Philippines in Colombo and in a leg of the Asian 7s Series in China.
After being cornered comprehensively by WR, the then SLR officials, namely Asanga Seneviratne (President), Nalin de Silva (Secretary), Lasitha Gunaratne (Vice President), Rohan Gunaratne as Executive Director and Priyantha Ekanayake as Chief Executive Officer have been communicating with WR officials David Carrigy (Head of Development and International Relations), T.M. Gresson (Judicial Officer), Ben Rutherford (Designated Disciplinary Official, WR), Morgen Buckley (Development General Manager) and Ridzal Saat (Rugby Services Manager, Asia), seeking respite on the fine imposed. In an emailed by Rohan Gunaratne, signed by Seneviratne as President, on November 18, 2016, SLR admits to its guilt.
“I write to you in respect of the aforesaid decision made by the Judicial Officer Mr. Ben Rutherford in order to impose a sanction of £50,000 against SLR for breach of Regulation 8.1. Sri Lanka is one of the oldest and fastest growing Rugby Nations in the world. The imposition of the aforesaid fine of £50,000 (Approximately 11 Million Sri Lankan Rupees) would deal a critical blow to Sri Lankan Rugby and severely hamper the progress of the sport within the country. Moreover, it would also prevent aspiring youth who have shown great potential of achieving their goals.
The SLRFU is currently unable to raise funds in order to meet such a penalty. In the aforesaid circumstances, the SLRFU humbly request World Rugby to grant permission to pay the fine imposed in installments of £ 2,500.00 a year for a period of twenty (20) years commencing from the year 2016,” stated the email.
The reply email by David Carrigy on December 1, 2016 acknowledges SLR’s request, but directly calls off any possibility of granting a period of 20 years to repay the fine. Instead the email stated, “We would however be willing to consider a 10 year repayment plan. Please advise by return if you accept this?”.
The Executive Director in an email on December 28, 2016 agrees to the proposal of a 10-year repayment plan as proposed by WR. But it looks as if SLR had avoided the repayment until another email from WR, sent by Ridzal Saat, the Rugby Services Manager, Asia, on June 9, 2017 come in as a reminder.
“We would like to inform you and the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union, that the first payment of the fine is now more than 3 months overdue. An invoice was sent to Sri Lanka Rugby in February 2017. Can you ensure that this payment is made immediately and advise us once the payments have been made. I would like to inform you that we will not release the second payment of the 2017 Development Investment until we have received this payment from Sri Lanka,” reminded the email sent by Saat to Rohan Gunaratne and Priyantha Ekanayake. However Gunaratne seeks more time from WR to make the repayment, after which as understood, was agreed by both parties to deduct 5000 Sterling Pounds annually from the grants provided by the world body.
The then Minister of Sports, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, boasted of a programme to boost sports by including athletes from other nations to represent Sri Lanka, but in the case of the three Fijians, it was evident that SLR fast-tracked the process using political influence and forged documents. Now Parliamentarian and former Sports Minister, Namal Rajapaksa and his two siblings were part of the Sri Lanka side for the Asian5Nations in 2014.
The incident, had it being treated in a manner that would not bestow infamy to a country that boasts of the first Rugby Union in Asia, and one of the oldest in the world, should be an issue of national interest where other government institutions such as the Department of Registration of Persons and Department of Immigration and Emigration should investigate.
Sadly, rugby and a few officials who spoke the truth became perpetrators, while a whole gang who caused the catastrophe remain scot-free. A few continue to enjoy perks and privileges, including Priyantha Ekanayake, the current Chairman of the National Sports Council while SLR serves a global ban. The then Vice President, Gunaratne, stalled a potential election of SLR after nearly 12 months, as the country’s rugby is under a Competent Authority since May, 2024.
The lenient argument that reminded of a decade old mass debacle between the current and former Sports Ministers specifies nothing but the levels of their very own egos. The incumbent minister, in his statement, clearly attempted to align politics into sports to his own gain, while the former dragged in a whistleblower and football as another sport that has fielded 11 foreigners.
The SLR fielded the Fijians in only one A5N game and an Asian 7s Series in China and were caught red handed. The Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL), on the other hand, correctly followed protocols and have fielded at least six to eight professional players in an international game, for the past 18 months in over 15 outings without being reprimanded or questioned by FIFA. It all points out to the mere fact that there is no shortcut to success, not even in sport, unless it becomes a political slave. The difference here is clear, deny and aimlessly fight or accept and move on with grace.