February 16, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka Rugby stands as a sports administration characterized by unwavering independence, refusing to yield to political pressures and standing strong in the face of injustice in Asia about a year ago. At present, the Deputy President, who has been appointed to the position of Acting President, has transformed the current situation into a lump of clay, susceptible to being molded by anyone according to their desires.
A member of the executive committee informed us that upon the resignation of the former president, Rizly Illyas, Nalin de Silva, the deputy president, was chosen to assume the role of acting president due to his perceived agreeable demeanor. We have previously mentioned this. However, at present, Nalin, liberated from the role of ‘Acting’ and volunteering to sign as the president ‘, those who opposed Rizly Illyas’ direct decision-making regime, are playing Nalin de Silva like a puppet to show that Illyas rule was an irresponsible group. It seems that the most tragic fact is that the acting president does not understand that he is a puppet of whose hand or tangled threads. In a currently endorsed advertisement by Sri Lanka Rugby, it is asserted that a rugby tournament has received approval not only from Sri Lanka Rugby but also from the Ministry of Sports. In one instance, ‘Rugby’ is erroneously mentioned as ‘Rubgy’. Also,in 2018, a decision was made to discontinue the use of Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) and adopt the name Sri Lanka Rugby. However, the current advertisement still states as SLRFU.
The responsibility does not lie with the tournament organizer, but rather with Sri Lanka Rugby, which granted permission but failed to oversee the campaign. The Ministry of Sports also has a responsibility here, and if they give the approval and permission through Sri Lanka Rugby, if an advertisement with wrong information is circulated, then Sri Lanka Rugby will be held responsible for it. In this context, the Secretary of Sri Lanka Rugby holds a closely tied and responsible position associated with the President of the country. His busy schedule has also provided Nalin de Silva with the opportunity to manage the field with ease as required. We should appreciate individuals who step forward to introduce new tournaments and competition formats, aiming to promote and attract attention, fostering the expansion of the game. But in giving the permission for that and not checking the rugby processes done under its approval after that, is not fulfilling the responsibility assigned on behalf of Sri Lanka rugby. A sports administration with national responsibilities cannot sanction any form of work process and permit it to be executed arbitrarily. Every aspect of its operations must be subject to accountability and oversight, down to the single letter. But now, it appears that Sri Lanka Rugby has transformed into a personal endeavor for an individual who has shed the ‘Acting’ designation, making it a pastime to sign as ‘President’ wherever the opportunity arises.
However, in this context, the other officials of Sri Lanka Rugby are also accountable for not taking appropriate action against such actions. If he is unable to responsibly manage his personal pursuits, he should publicly acknowledge his shortcomings, tender his resignation, and advocate for a new election to ensure the best interests of the country. Stating unawareness is not a satisfactory response, particularly for the Sri Lankan Rugby secretary, who bears a significant responsibility for the security of the President of the country, despite any busy circumstances.
It could be viewed as an irresponsible statement, which is not favorable for the reputation of the president. According to the current situation of Rugby, who is using the elephant as a symbol of the President’s personal politics, the secretary should feel that the elephant is acting uncontrolled. We would like to remind you that if you feel this way and do not take up the mahout’s stick, the Rugby elephant will be playing with the name of the President’s elephant symbol. We commend the decisions made and the programs organized to promote the progress and expansion of the game of rugby. But they should not take place on the unacceptable issues of the administrative structure of Sri Lanka Rugby, lack of responsibility, structural errors, etc. We have based this post on the wrong advertisement that is being spread due to the lack of supervision of Sri Lanka Rugby, to say that Sri Lanka Rugby has become “just a game” without defining it with a scientifically based word like a game.
Adapted from – රගර් ක්රීඩාවක් නොකොට සෙල්ලමක්ම කරන පරිපාලන හැසිරීම – https://sinhala.lankanewsweb.net/02/16/97507/
