By Nishman Ranasinghe – May 11, LNW (Colombo)
Introduction
We’ve heard stories where some individuals went to great lengths, even offering gifts like
umbrellas, to personally curry favor with certain judges and avoid fines. The judiciary,
which represents justice, and its judges are highly respected. The authority to decide
between right and wrong under the law lies with them.
The Attorney General’s Attendance at the Match
Against this backdrop, questions have been raised about Attorney General (AG) Parinda
Ranasinghe attending the rugby match between the under-85 kg New Zealand team and the
Sri Lanka team. Was this a mere display of his enthusiasm for the sport, or was it something
that could mislead the public about the independence of the judiciary? Only the AG can truly
answer that.
Contempt Charges Against the Sports Director General
Currently, the Director General of Sports is the head of Sri Lanka Rugby, and he is facing
contempt of court charges. The courts are due to take up this case soon. When the court has
already advised that the DG should not represent himself in such matters, the AG’s presence
at the match raises ethical questions was it a personal invitation or a public display of
affiliation?
Ethical Implications and Administration Conflicts
Although there is no official rugby administration in place, a separate group organized and
ran the New Zealand–Sri Lanka match. Previously, we pointed out that this needed
investigation, especially because this involved debts of up to Rs. 55 million without clear
justification.The acting rugby administration under the DG Shemal Fernando had appointed an interim
committee, which claimed in court that the administration was unsuitable, yet Shemal
Fernando was still named the head of sponsorship for this series.
Character and Political Affiliations
Shemal Fernando appears willing to face all allegations against him, including contempt of
court. However, his approach seems more about pleasing politicians than upholding the law
or sports ethics. Once viewed as a promising administrative figure from the navy, he now
appears to have aligned himself with political interests over justice.
Concerns Over Attorney General’s Involvement
Inviting the AG to a match while the DG faces active court charges is unethical. The AG, who
must remain impartial and uninfluenced, should not have accepted such invitations
particularly when the individual inviting him is under judicial scrutiny.
Political Propaganda and Public Perception
The match was attended by many, including Minister Wijitha Herath. A match against New
Zealand is significant due to their rugby culture. However, some politicians tried to falsely
portray it as if Sri Lanka played against New Zealand’s top-tier team pure propaganda,
amplified through social media.
Broader Implications from the Aragalaya
Notably, many who wrote about this match during the Aragalaya (the people’s protest)
previously had no understanding of governance or accountability in sports. Those like
Erangala, a media figure during the protest, once had no concern for sports but now praise
current administrators who were responsible for shameful decisions including the assault
on disabled protesters near Temple Trees by rugby loyalists of Namal Rajapaksa.
Jeff Matheson and Regional Rugby Development
Now, a New Zealand national, Jeff Matheson, was appointed to help develop regional-level
rugby in Sri Lanka by building a team from scattered local talent. But while his vision was
commendable, political interference is undermining this effort.
Final Concern – AG’s Ethical Conflict
More important than all of this is the concern that a government official, who is currently
facing contempt of court charges, invited the Attorney General to participate in an
international sporting event organized by the very same sports administration under which
the alleged contempt occurred. This act can be seen as an attempt to create a misleading
impression about the law and the legal system.
The Honourable Court has previously stated that the Attorney General’s Department should
no longer appear on behalf of this individual in the upcoming hearing scheduled for the
15th. Therefore, the fact that the Attorney General was invited by the accused Shemal
Fernando to an event he organized raises serious ethical and legal concerns. It is also likely
that this incident will be brought up by the complainant party during the upcoming court
proceedings related to the contempt charges.
