• Ex-Secy. releases photos to the press 

Two of the prominent players of the Sri Lanka football team namely Adhavan Rajamohn and Anujan Rajendram are alleged to have disrespected the national anthem at least thrice during recent internationals, according to the Football Federation ex-Secretary Sunil Senaweera.

The former Secretary – an outspoken critic of the current Jaswar Umar helmed football administration, said that forward Rajamohan and midfielder Rajendram, two of the players born overseas to Lankan parents, have been caught disrespecting the country’s anthem during the recent past.

“These two players should be found guilty of denigrating the national anthem,” he told The Daily Morning Sports.

“Therefore, the question I would like to pose to the football bosses is what action they intend to take against these two players for their actions, which does not paint Sri Lanka football in the proper light to the rest of the world.”

Efforts made to contact the FFSL  head Jaswar Umar to seek his views on the issue proved unsuccessful.

According to Senaweera, Rajamohan, 32, who was born in Norway to Sri Lankan parents and Rajendram, 25, who was born to a Sri Lankan father and a Swedish mother, had resorted to their controversial actions, during the ongoing AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifiers matches.

The photos released by the ex-Football Secretary, shows clearly the duo wearing the jersey number 2 and 21 respectively, not duly respecting the national anthem while the rest of the nine players had accorded the due respect it deserved.

They had behaved in this questionable manner during the international against Thailand played in Bangkok on 25 March while they had done likewise during Sri Lanka’s two fixtures against Turkmenistan in Colombo on 9 October and in Asgabat five days later.

Senaweera said that in defence of the two players some could say that being born overseas the two players in question may not be fully conversant with the lyrics of the national anthem, and hence may have opted to stand without placing their hand on chest.

But he argued that it does not still preclude them from taking the cue from the rest of their teammates and then afford the utmost respect to the national anthem.

“Also don’t forget that there are many others in this team who were born abroad to local parents, but they have accorded the utmost respect to the anthem. If they could do it, why cannot Rajamohan and Rajendram fall in line is the big question. It will be interesting to see what actions the football officials intend to take regarding the actions of these two players,” he said on a skeptical note.

“Like all things in local football, I will be least surprised that even these incidents were to be swept under the carpet by Jaswer Umar and his officials, as they intend to carry on as if everything is hunky dory.”

He also added that the insensitive actions of the two players is sufficient grounds for the sport’s governing body to discard them for future games, so as to set a stern example to all players that when representing the country such actions has no place and noted that it should be roundly condemned.

He stressed that he has also assigned a few photographers to capture the photos of the Sri Lanka team when standing up to the national anthem as they host Thailand in their AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers fixture at Racecourse today (18).

Senaweera emphasised this will be done to find out whether Rajamohan and Rajendram will continue with their degrading actions for the umpteenth time, and if so, to further highlight such crass behavior on the part of such players through the mainstream media.