[caption id="attachment_198974" align="alignleft" width="300"]
‘Former’ Sri Lanka Rugby President Rizly Illyas[/caption]
Rizly Illyas: We are standing strong
Speaking to The Sunday Morning Sports over the bizarre developments last week, Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) President Rizly Illyaz said: “I am aware of the (Asia Rugby) suspension. I think it’s fair to say that both Ministry of Sports and Asia Rugby don’t have good governance. Initially, the Sports Ministry suspended SLR without any inquiry. It is against the Sports Law. You’re supposed to have a hearing and give an explanation. But we are yet to receive any explanation from the Ministry.”
He further added, “We are speaking to our sources and the lawyers. All these actions are only affecting the progress of SLR. We were conducting the tournament smoothly and now all these issues have hampered the sport’s progress. It not only affects the sport, it affects the clubs, coaches, and players. At the end, we respect the gazette but we are standing strong.”
[caption id="attachment_198976" align="alignleft" width="457"]
Director General of Sports Development Amal Edirisooriya[/caption]
Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) is on the headlines once again as Asia Rugby (AR) has suspended SLR on Tuesday (12), in relation to the contradictory positions between the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL).
A meeting held on Saturday (9) in Phuket, Thailand, the AR Executive Committee has decided to suspend the membership of SLR with immediate effect.
Amal Edirisooriya unaware
The statement read, “The Asia Rugby Executive Committee (EXCO) has discussed at length the contrary positions of the Sri Lanka Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Sri Lanka National Olympic Committee in relation to the suspension of the Sri Lanka Rugby.”
The Sunday Morning Sports last week contacted the Director General of Sports Development Amal Edirisooriya regarding the matter last afternoon. However, he claimed to have been having no idea of the suspension the AR had published on their official website by Tuesday.
Contradicting action from various governing bodies
As a further explanation to the suspension, the AR in its statement had added: “Sri Lanka Rugby was suspended by the Sri Lankan Minister of Youth and Sports as announced via an official Government Gazette dated 1st April 2022 whilst the National Olympic Committee via an official letter signed by the Secretary General recognises the Sri Lanka Rugby as the sole representative of the sport of rugby in Sri Lanka.”
SLR’s competency in question
[caption id="attachment_198978" align="alignleft" width="356"]
Asia Rugby has suspended Sri Lanka Rugby on Tuesday (12)[/caption]
In accordance with Asia Rugby Regulation-3, the membership of the Sri Lanka Rugby will now be temporarily suspended from the Regional Association with immediate effect.
That is until further notice on the basis that the Sri Lanka Rugby may no longer be considered as fully responsible for the organisation of rugby-related matters in its jurisdiction; or it is no longer in a position to perform its constitutional and regulatory duties in an appropriate manner.
The AR Executive Committee has further added that a visiting delegation from the Regional Association together with the Olympic Council of Asia will travel to Sri Lanka on Wednesday (20) to meet with the relevant stakeholders in a committed and transparent efforts to attain an ideal resolution to the affair in the best interest of the Sri Lankan rugby athletes.
Chaos in administration only affects the sport
Sri Lanka was deprived of rugby for more than one and a half years due to lockdowns and other Covid-19 restriction. Just when the sport was starting to lift its head up, the administration gets in the way and once again the sport is at a standstill.
The year 2022 was supposed to be one of the biggest and most important calendar year for SLR with both Commonwealth Games 2022 and Asia Games 2022 are scheduled for later this year.
The Commonwealth Games is set to begin on 28 July in England, a little over three months from now, which is also nowhere near the amount of time that is needed for the players to train and prepare for the tournament properly.
However, we can still have some hope of winning a medal at the Asian Games which is to begin on 10 September in China.
‘Former’ Sri Lanka Rugby President Rizly Illyas[/caption]
Rizly Illyas: We are standing strong
Speaking to The Sunday Morning Sports over the bizarre developments last week, Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) President Rizly Illyaz said: “I am aware of the (Asia Rugby) suspension. I think it’s fair to say that both Ministry of Sports and Asia Rugby don’t have good governance. Initially, the Sports Ministry suspended SLR without any inquiry. It is against the Sports Law. You’re supposed to have a hearing and give an explanation. But we are yet to receive any explanation from the Ministry.”
He further added, “We are speaking to our sources and the lawyers. All these actions are only affecting the progress of SLR. We were conducting the tournament smoothly and now all these issues have hampered the sport’s progress. It not only affects the sport, it affects the clubs, coaches, and players. At the end, we respect the gazette but we are standing strong.”
[caption id="attachment_198976" align="alignleft" width="457"] Director General of Sports Development Amal Edirisooriya[/caption]
Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) is on the headlines once again as Asia Rugby (AR) has suspended SLR on Tuesday (12), in relation to the contradictory positions between the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL).
A meeting held on Saturday (9) in Phuket, Thailand, the AR Executive Committee has decided to suspend the membership of SLR with immediate effect.
Amal Edirisooriya unaware
The statement read, “The Asia Rugby Executive Committee (EXCO) has discussed at length the contrary positions of the Sri Lanka Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Sri Lanka National Olympic Committee in relation to the suspension of the Sri Lanka Rugby.”
The Sunday Morning Sports last week contacted the Director General of Sports Development Amal Edirisooriya regarding the matter last afternoon. However, he claimed to have been having no idea of the suspension the AR had published on their official website by Tuesday.
Contradicting action from various governing bodies
As a further explanation to the suspension, the AR in its statement had added: “Sri Lanka Rugby was suspended by the Sri Lankan Minister of Youth and Sports as announced via an official Government Gazette dated 1st April 2022 whilst the National Olympic Committee via an official letter signed by the Secretary General recognises the Sri Lanka Rugby as the sole representative of the sport of rugby in Sri Lanka.”
SLR’s competency in question
[caption id="attachment_198978" align="alignleft" width="356"] Asia Rugby has suspended Sri Lanka Rugby on Tuesday (12)[/caption]
In accordance with Asia Rugby Regulation-3, the membership of the Sri Lanka Rugby will now be temporarily suspended from the Regional Association with immediate effect.
That is until further notice on the basis that the Sri Lanka Rugby may no longer be considered as fully responsible for the organisation of rugby-related matters in its jurisdiction; or it is no longer in a position to perform its constitutional and regulatory duties in an appropriate manner.
The AR Executive Committee has further added that a visiting delegation from the Regional Association together with the Olympic Council of Asia will travel to Sri Lanka on Wednesday (20) to meet with the relevant stakeholders in a committed and transparent efforts to attain an ideal resolution to the affair in the best interest of the Sri Lankan rugby athletes.
Chaos in administration only affects the sport
Sri Lanka was deprived of rugby for more than one and a half years due to lockdowns and other Covid-19 restriction. Just when the sport was starting to lift its head up, the administration gets in the way and once again the sport is at a standstill.
The year 2022 was supposed to be one of the biggest and most important calendar year for SLR with both Commonwealth Games 2022 and Asia Games 2022 are scheduled for later this year.
The Commonwealth Games is set to begin on 28 July in England, a little over three months from now, which is also nowhere near the amount of time that is needed for the players to train and prepare for the tournament properly.
However, we can still have some hope of winning a medal at the Asian Games which is to begin on 10 September in China.