Admitting that he knew or was informed of very little about Sri Lanka Rugby’s policy ruling to have a foreign professional play for the four lower rung teams in the upcoming inter-club season, Sports Minister Faiszer Mushtapha has stepped aside from being embroiled in any disputes with the sport’s governing body.
He showed his keenness to learn more about plans to improve the standard of rugby and bring back a lost following when he met rugby administrators at a meeting early this week.
Among them was the new president of Sri Lanka Rugby Lasitha Gunaratne. “The Minister was very satisfied when we told him of our policy decision and that our primary function was to take care of both player and spectator interests. He told us that what we do is our responsibility towards the welfare of the sport”, said Gunaratne. The previous week Minister Mushtapha was cautioned by Sri Lanka Rugby over a move by two clubs Kandy Sports Club and CH and FC to nudge him to block the entry of the foreign players. Sri Lanka Rugby told the Minister the foreign players would excite spectators and make the new season interesting to their commercial partners who have demanded changes to a despised club season year after year. Kandy Sports Club turned the club scene into a boring one-horse race for nearly 20 years after buying up all the best players.