• Disciplinary action against Isipatana?
• Rover pinpoints......
• Western Province Under18 champs
• Army athletes on top
• Wijeratne sets national record
• Out of desert nightmare
• Nanayakkara in sensational win
• Royal top at scrabble
• France wobble before beating Fiji
• England win shows problems
• Old Thomians in the Scrum

Disciplinary action against Isipatana?

By Ravi Nagahawatte

The Western Province Schools' Rugby Football Association is to decide on Tuesday (October 19)what disciplinary action is to be taken against the Isipatana Under 15 team for their non-participation in an awards ceremony after the conclusion of the Western Province Schools' Under 15 Ten Aside Tournament.

A special general meeting of the office bearers of the WPSRFA , which is to take place at Thurstan College , could take most of the allotted time in this meeting as it is aware that this will be the main topic taken up for discussion.

The secretary of the WPSRFA Kumar Rodrigo speaking to the "Sunday Times" said that the problem arose after the final when the referee had come under verbal abuse and threats by a section of the spectators. This he says led to the boycott of referees if Isipatana takes part further in the tournament which is now left to be conducted with the participation of the best teams left over from the provinces.

Rodrigo went on to add that action cannot be taken against the ruggerites of Isipatana as it was the spectators who took the referee to task.

He however added that action will be taken against Isipatana if the disciplinary commitee which is to be appointed on Tuesday decides that the school should be penalised for not attending the awards ceremony.

N.J.Mudannayake , secretary of the Sri Lanka Schools' Rugby Football Association, airing his views on this issue said that the WPSRFA has the power to take a decision regarding a breach of discipline by Isipatana. "It is their tournament . They have to take the responsibility for what happened. The referees society has called for an apology and it is they (WPSRFA) who must act not us" said Mudannayake.

The Sunday Times learns that the WPSRFA has already submitted their apology to the referees society but what has kept the issue dragging is the fact that there has been no apology sent in from the authorities of Isipatana to the referees society.

An official of the referees society told The Sunday Times that the WPSRFA has apologised for the incident that humiliated the referee . He said a letter sent to the referees society by the WPSRFA had stated that there were lapses in security arrangements on their part. However he said they (the referees society) needs an apology from the authorities or they will decide the course of action. He further said the referee concerned has forwarded a police entry to this effect.

The official who preferred to stay unidentified said that most of the referees are reluctant to blow if Isipatana takes part further in the tournament.

A spokesman for Isipatana Maha Vidyalaya said no disciplinary action can be taken against the school since they had not been invited by the organisers to attend the awards ceremony. "The boys did not show a liking to attend the awards ceremony. No one can penalise us (the school ) for not attending the ceremony.

"The school will go to the extent of taking legal action if this happens,"said the official who added that the referee concerned had violated the constitution by officiatingat the final.

"He cannot referee in this tournament since the constitution clearly states that a person invloved in coaching a team cannot referee in a tournament in which that very team takes part", he said. The official further added that this referee had done just that.

This tournament which was postponed for the third time due to the reluctance of the referees to officiate has now been scheduled to be held from October 22-24 at Havelock Park .

What remains interesting is that the Sri Lanka Schools' Rugby Football Association awaits the the final list of schools to participate from the Western Province which is to be forwarded to them by the WPSRFA.

It is known that Isipatana has qualified for the all island tournament with their performance in the provincial tournament .

Rover pinpoints......

What a blunder?

The big wig of a VIP at a felicitation ceremony boasted that it was no surprise that Sri Lanka was able to produce two marathon runners who bagged gold and silver at the SAF Games in a time of 2 minutes 20 seconds when it should have been stated two hours 20 seconds. Another boast was that the VIP had the runners in mind where ever he went and purchased two pairs of spikes at high cost for them. What rubbish . Marathon runners never wear spikes, but special kind of tennis shoes.

His saying that Sri Lanka has found another S.L.B. Rosa looked foolish, since Rosa ran the 5000 and 10000 metres and not the marathon. We like to point out that it was Wimalasena Perera who did Lanka proud in the marathon.

Double standards

Does the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports know that an Assistant Secretary and four other senior officials of the Ministry's Sports Development Department are amongst a few others who went to Kathmandu without the permission of the Secretary or the Additional Secretary.

Does he also know that that each of them were given US $ 137 Does he also know that they had only four of the seven days in Kathmandu and the other three in Bangkok on a shopping spree with arranged visas to stay in Bangkok Does the Minister also know that an additional secretary of Youth Affairs also went to Kathmandu, because she had not gone on any tours for two years?

Rover also learns that the Sports School was closed with all officials going to Kathmandu taking along the cook as well.

Sri Lanka colours

Sri Lanka Basketball Federation sent a team to Malaysia for a club tournament and they were seen at the airport with national colours pinned to their blazers. Are they eligible to wear national colours when they go on pleasure trips and for club tournament?

How did a son of a vice president of the Federation who was in the pool and not selected by the Ministry appointed selectors go as a observer with National colours been worn by him? Did the Ministry of Sports approve his inclusion in the team?

Congratulation Minister of Sports

All sports bodies who have raised the standard of the game should be rewarded. It is a brave statement by the Hon'ble Minister of Sports to openly call for the resignation of the officials who have failed to raise the standard of the game in Sri Lanka. Why not the Minister use the same yardstick to the officials of the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation as our national team does not even have the standard to play and win in club tournaments or will the Minister turn a blind eye for the wrong doings as he is the patron of SLBF and two of his very confident ministry officials are Asst. Secretary and Asst. Treasurer of the SLBF.

Well Done

Recently concluded Depot Cup Basketball tournament need to be given a hand shake as it was another well organized tournament. The credit should go to the former University and Police player and Chairman, Police Basketball Indra de Silva (DIG), Hony. Secretary R.E.C. Ranjan (ASP) and two able assistants Buddhika Kumuddaperuma and P. Saluwardena for conducting this tournaments successfully. Even though it was programmed for one week it was extended by another week in order to accommodate 18 teams, the highest number of teams accepted since its inception.

Stumped?

A new women's sports body was formed with the blessings of the Minister of Sports. Applying for recognition, they have been told in no uncertain terms 'no politics. A body has been recognized and it stands. That was the World Body's faxed reply to one sent from Sri Lanka on October 8.

Western Province Under18 champs

Western Province A beat Central Province 20-18 to win the Under 18 Inter-Provincial rugby final at Longden Place.

Central Province led 11-10 at half time.Saliya Silva and P. Udaya scored a try each for WP with Roshan Peiris converting them and putting over the two penalties as well.

G.Kodagoda and Jeewa Galgamuwa scored a try each for Central Province with S.Cooray converting one ofthem. He alsoput over a penalty.Above picture from the match is by J.Weerasekera, where the referee seems to say. "No advantage scrum down."

Army athletes on top

By Bernie Wijesekera

Army guns boomed as the Sugathadasa Stadium yesterday at the Defence Services track and field meet held after 15 years.

The Army men and women dominated both sections with an overall lead of 122 points over the Sri Lanka Navy (51), followed by the Air Force (14).

The soldiers with many national athletes in their fold, stole the lime-light in both the men and women's events. In the men's section, they piled up 69 points over their closest rivals the Navy (14).

But there was a keen contest in the women's section where the Army girls collected 53 points. Close on their heels were the blue skirted Navy girls who did well to collect 37 points.

In the women's 100 metres, K.H.G.T. Saman Deepika running in her big meet, did well to clock 12.16 over the all Army final where S.A.D.Rupasinghe came in second with a time of 11.63 and W.K.Inoka Umayani third with a time of 12.79 secs.

The meet will continue today.

Wijeratne sets national record

By Marlon Fernandopulle

Jayamal Wijeratne of Ananda accounted for the only national record at the National Swimming and Diving Championships worked off at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium pool yesterday.

Jayamal, a medalist at the recently concluded SAF Games in Nepal, touched in at 55.03 seconds, thus erasing his own record in the 100 metres free style event.

Taking second slot was Gheffari Dulapandan of SSC and Eranga Fernando of S.Thomas was third. Both these swimmers won medals at the SAF Games as well.

Dulapandan hit back on his setback to win the 100 metres breaststroke in one minute 00.59 sec with Thomian Duleeka Nanayakkara second and his team mate Eranga Jayawardena third.

Rasansi Lankage of Asian International School won the 100 metres breast stroke in a time of 1 minute 21.74 secs. with Zoe Veera of Anula Vidyalaya, Nugegoda second and Tehani Samarasekera of Asian International School, third.

S.P.S.S. Kaushalaya of Ananda won the 200 metres breaststroke clocking 2 mts.. 48.24 secs. with Dasun Ratnasekera of S.Thomas' second and Aravinda Ranatunga of St. Joseph's third.

Mealine Bauman of Colombo International School won two events - the 200 metres breast stroke for women and the 100 metres free style.

In the 200 metres breast stroke, Bauman touched in at 3 mts. 05.84 seconds defeating Chandra Haputhanthri of Ladies College and Niluka Fernando of Mahamaya.

In the second event, Bauman came in first with a time of 1 minute 71 seconds ahead of Rasansi Lankage and Dakshini de Alwis of Asian International School.

Sean Lee of Asian International School won the 400 metres free style in four minutes 55.92 seconds followed by Eranga Fernando of S.Thomas' and Pasan Muthumala of Trinity.

Melina Boange of Bishop's got the better of Radeesha Daluwatte of Colombo International School and Tahire Edirisinghe of Asian International School in the 400 metres free style for women in 5 mts 28.37 secs.

At the conclusion of the day in the national category, S.Thomas' lead with 71 points followed by Trinity 49, SSC 45, Ananda 25, Asian International School 22 and Royal 19.

Colombo International School heads the women's section with 110 points followed by Bishop's 37, Asian International School 25 and Ladies College 23.

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