February 10, (LNW) Colombo:
The letter from the Director General of Sports makes it clear that
the injunction obtained by Lasitha Gunaratne against the election
committee in the District Court has not yet had any effect on the
letter written by the Director General of Sports regarding the
postponement of the Sri Lanka Rugby elections while they are
being held by consensus in the Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka. It
cannot be claimed that the Director General being a law-abiding
citizen, a former high-ranking military officer, and a professor
expected to have a sound understanding of the law was unaware
of the necessity to promptly present the relevant facts to both the
District Court and the Court of Appeal concerning the censure.But the Director General has decided to postpone the ongoing
election without paying attention to any of those responsibilities,
based on the decision of the Asia Rugby President. The Asia
President is influencing the ongoing rugby election process based
on an agreement reached in the Court of Appeal, which is part of
the Sri Lankan judicial system, on January 8, as stated by the
Director General himself. It has now been brought to the court’s
attention that the Director General has committed contempt of
court by failing to obtain permission to halt or postpone the
election within the required 10-day period, even after exceeding
the deadline.
The Director General, including the current Minister, has held the
same position under three ministers. Therefore, when the Asian
Federation or the World Federation pressure the country to change
the existing rugby constitution, if the parties that have power
under the existing constitution do not agree, they can become a
mediator between the two parties to resolve the issue. However,
the Director General has a strange interest in working according
to the letter of the President of the Asia Rugby, changing the
constitution and holding an election.
Therefore, the proposed constitutional change aims to centralize
the operational power of rugby administration, which is currently
spread across the country, into sports clubs based in Colombo and
Kandy. Can a nation in the international community agree to
dismantle such decentralized administrative structures? This is
the situation unfolding.• The current constitution, which has vested power over
provincial associations, includes all A-grade sports clubs.
• Except for one instance, the chairmen who came to power
through provincial associations also represent A-grade
sports clubs.
• Candidates from A-grade sports clubs have also contested
this year’s election.
This situation is indeed accurate and can be verified by the Sports
Minister and the Ministry Secretary. The Asian intervention is
occurring because no action has been taken thus far to address the
damage inflicted on rugby in Sri Lanka. As a result, officials
elevated to Asian roles, who have been unable to gain power due
to internal opposition, are now seeking to create a path for
themselves. The situation has been thoroughly explained. There
is no point in attempting to fix what has been repeatedly
overturned by the Sports Ministry. The history of these events is
tied to Rajapaksa’s influence in sports. Ironically, the very
minister who called for an investigation into the Mahinda
Rajapaksa Sports Foundation, which held that power, has now
taken steps to position them in a way that allows the Director
General of Sports to roll out the red carpet for them.
What could be the reason why the Director General himself is
now trying to intervene and change the constitution? According
to the existing constitution, if it is accepted as the law of the
country, then the administration that is appointed according to
that constitution can act accordingly and resolve the matter with
the World Rugby and the Asia administration.Why isn’t it possible to inform the Asian Olympic Committee and
the International Olympic Committee about the current situation
and send copies to Asian Rugby and World Rugby?
Given the circumstances, why doesn’t the Director General of
Sports state that Sri Lanka’s law enforcement institutions will
conduct the elections under the existing constitution, and engage
with the regional association and international federation to make
the necessary amendments and organize the process
appropriately?
This Director General of Sports and former Minister Roshan
Ranasinghe dissolved the former Rugby Administration at the
behest of the Asia President, jeopardizing the Sri Lanka Rugby
Team’s opportunity to play in the Asian Games. In the end, the
Sports Minister, after deceiving the Director General of Sports
and even arranging the match schedule without the Sri Lankan
team, had to exert strong influence on Asia Rugby through the
Asian Olympic leaders and include the Sri Lanka Rugby Team in
the Asian Games. Therefore, despite being hit by the fire, the
Director General of Sports is there to show his power in front of
the provincial associations and to hurt them and to bow down to
the Asia President.
What is the result of these events? Before the Asian Games in
2024, Sri Lanka was in fourth place. While the team was
preparing to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games, the Asia
President, along with a group of Sri Lankan ministers and
officials, obstructed the process.Accordingly, the Sri Lankan team was not only not given proper
training but also training facilities. Accordingly, the medal hopes
were dashed and Sri Lanka fell from fourth place, while the Asian
Chairman’s home country rose to the top.
None of these issues seem to be sensitive to the current Sports
Minister of Sri Lanka. What he should do, just as he removed the
Olympic Secretary, is to hold the election as ordered by the Sri
Lankan courts and hand the matter over to the National
Association, which can address the issue democratically.
Additionally, he should inform the Asian Rugby Administration,
the International Rugby Administration, and both the
International and Asian Olympic Administrations about the
situation that has arisen. Although the Director General has the
experience and knowledge that this issue could be resolved in that
manner, he is not acting in that way at this moment because that
is not his desire.
The Asian invasion has become so powerful that perhaps the Sri
Lankan rugby team should not take to the field with the lion
flag, but with a camel instead of a lion. This is an extremely sad
situation. In the future, rugby will be devastated by the ongoing
decline spreading across the country, leaving behind ruins in
several parts of the city. Even if those responsible for this
downfall are no longer alive, there is no doubt that fans who
remember the history of rugby will curse the descendants of
those who paved the way for its destruction.Herewith, I submit a letter clarifying that the Director General of
Sports is currently postponing the election based on the letter
from the Asia President., and accordingly, he has not notified the
court and obtained its consent, in order to disregard the consent
of the courts of this country as a citizen of Sri Lanka.
