The Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU) called for nominations for election of office-bearers and committee members at the annual general meeting (AGM) of Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) scheduled for August 27.
According to a circular issued by the secretary WPRFU Waruna de Silva, nominations closed on Friday and will be reviewed at a committee meeting on Monday. He refused to comment further on the status of WPRFU which had been suspended by the Sports Minister in 2020 for non-payment of annual subscriptions because of an ongoing court case regarding the temporary suspension of SLR by Asia Rugby (AR).
Even the status of Sri Lanka’s rugby governing body SLR is not clear despite the Interim Order issued by the Court of Appeal on May 13 preventing the enactment of the gazette issued by former Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa who appointed a Competent Authority (CA) to run the sport. The Director General of the Department of Sports Development Amal Edirisooriya who was the fourth respondent in the plaint filed by SLR and its president Rizly Illyas, had pleaded that he would recommend the gazette be revoked by the new Sports Minister. The next court date was scheduled for June 30 but it did not take place because of the situation in the country. Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe has not revoked the gazette notification temporarily suspending SLR.
This was further compounded by the suspension of SLR president Illyas by AR for a potential breach of conduct.
Asia Rugby president Qais Abdullah Al Dhalai when contacted by the Sunday Observer said that the regional body would be issuing a statement in this regard soon. Illyas for his part has called for an impartial inquiry with Asia Rugby adjudication hearing set to take place on September 3 at 11.00 am via zoom technology.
Meanwhile, Illyas had moved a resolution at the last SLR Council meeting refusing to accept the suspension imposed on him by AR amid some objections.
Meanwhile, the SLR constitution says that “any person shall be disqualified from being elected or otherwise to hold or continue to hold any paid or unpaid office or to hold any paid or unpaid post or to be a member of the Council or to be a nominee of any affiliated Union, Association or Society if he is serving a suspension imposed by the Council or by any of its Affiliate Members or any Regional or International Rugby Body or a period of two years have not lapsed after serving such suspension on the date of submission of nomination.”
Although Illyas contends AR has no jurisdiction to suspend any official without an inquiry, local rugby analysts argue that “if you violate code of conduct, anybody can be suspended”.
Meanwhile, it has been pointed out that arising out of the interim order, the learned judge affirmed that the suspension of WPRFU by the then Secretary to the Ministry of Sports Anuradha Wijekoon is valid and active. “The WPRFU will not be permitted to take part in any of the affairs of SLR including the scheduled election until the Union is granted authority to do so by the incoming Minister,” the interim order stated.
“That means the judge confirmed the suspension of WPRFU and other provinces who have not paid the subscriptions is valid unless they are reinstated by the new Minister. Only he can change the order. But in a clear contempt of court, from the very next day the suspended members are attending SLR meetings.”
“The interim order has given legal strength to the suspension. When anyone is suspended by any affiliated organisation of rugby, you can’t hold a position with immediate effect. It is not that you can’t contest the next election. Your position will cease immediately. It is in the Sports Act and our SLR Constitution,” said a rugby official alluding to WPRFU continuing to attend SLR meetings and Illyas chairing them.
“The fundamental issue SLR is facing is they are not recognised by the Ministry of Sports because they continue to hold meetings with affiliated members who haven’t paid subscriptions. SLR says WPRFU has paid its full dues and were reinstated but the Ministry is saying SLR Constitution does not allow them to reinstate. They (SLR) can appoint only new members. It is a technical issue,” said a leading club official.
“The irony is that WPRFU has seven of the eight A division clubs. If you don’t want to recognise WPRFU, then as per the constitution none of those clubs can play because you have to be a member of a provincial union. Then all the tournaments are null and void,” he pointed out.
“All parties need to sit down and look at the best interest of the game. We need to resolve the matter. The question is who is going to do it. It won’t be Asia Rugby or World Rugby,” he said.