• NOC Prez informed by WR 

The National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) President Suresh Subramaniam said that World Rugby (WR) at its Interim meeting held last week in Dublin, had issued its final ultimatum to Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR).

That is either to have an elected set of office bearers by Wednesday (8) in keeping with its new Constitution, which has been approved and enacted to meet WRs requirements or face a suspension of its membership with immediate effect, till 9 October 2027.

Speaking to The Daily Morning Sports, Subramaniam stated that the sport’s global controlling body had discussed the ongoing governance issues linked to Sri Lanka Rugby, as part of its agenda at the said sessions.

He said afterwards WR had arrived at the decision which had in turn been conveyed to him on Saturday (27 Sept.) as the head of the NOCSL-with rugby being an Olympic sport, by World Rugby’s International Federation Chief David Carrigy with a copy to Asia Rugby.

He said as the Chair of the NOCSL, he had made submissions previously to the Dublin-based global body on the issues which Sri Lanka Rugby had grappled with during the past year.

He reiterated that he had underscored the country’s commitment to uphold democracy, all the while sticking to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) charter in his submissions to WR.

Subramaniam pointed out that the official stance conveyed to him in writing by WR of an imminent suspension, has also been submitted to the Judiciary where SLR is embroiled in ongoing litigation brought against it by a few petitioners.

Asked whether World Rugby will stick to its ultimatum reached last week after having extended the deadline for over 12 months, the NOCSL President responded in the affirmative.

“It’s clear that World Rugby will now move ahead and resort to their actions if there is no functioning SLR by midnight on 8 October,” the veteran sports administrator mentioned.

“It has reached that stage and I doubt whether we could turn back. Either get the body elected or face the music afterwards seems to be the stance of WR.”

When contacted on WhatsApp, the Asia Rugby President Qais Al Dhalai too confirmed Carrigy having copied a letter to the regional body and stressed that it was a predicament that Sri Lanka Rugby had brought upon itself through their own administrative bungling.

“This was always on the cards,” the Asia Rugby honcho said. “And now it’s official,” After 8 October if SLR fails to have an elected set of officials there will be an automatic suspension from both World and Asia Rugby.

“AR and I personally as President stood side by side with SL Rugby, Ministry of Sports and Sri Lanka NOC, to avoid any punitive action against SLR due to its grave governance crisis for more than 36-months and hopefully our patience will pay off on 8 October,” He added.  

Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) failed to send a representative to the World Rugby General assembly sessions last week due to administrative issues linked to the Working Task Force-which is currently handling the governance aspect of the former.

The five-member Working Task Force headed by retired SDIG M. R. Latiff consists of retired DIG M. H. Marso, Ravi Wijenathan, Suresh Subramaniam and Dinal Phillips PC.  

The AGM of the SLR which was originally fixed for 9 September this year, was put off to next Wednesday by the five-member Election Committee, which annulled the nominations of the two main factions contesting the AGM Pavithra Fernando and Lasitha Gunarathne citing technical issues.

On the instructions of the Election Committee, the Working Task Force formed by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports to oversee rugby governance since April-May this year, thus vacated its earlier notice to hold the AGM on 9 September based on the Constitution of SLR and specifically Article 55 (Casus Omissus).

The WTF then issued a fresh AGM notice for 8 October along with a new nomination process all in accordance with the new SLR Constitution.

A suspension of SLRs membership could jeopardise the participation of Sri Lanka rugby players in international tournaments forcing them to compete under the Olympic flag.

Furthermore, funding by the global body is likely to be frozen, while the majority of player careers could be stalled with a body blow delivered to talent coming through the grass root level with players not having a future outside home shores, not to mention a black mark cast on the country’s sporting image.