With India stretching its limbs far and wide in the island, Sri Lanka wants its giant neighbour to play a frontal role in the affairs of two more spectator sports, rugby and football that are having fluctuating fortunes and got into the bad books of their global keepers.
The invitation to the Indians to do what they were doing for cricket was extended by none other than Sports Minister Harin Fernando.
“I like to say to all our investors and owners of LPL (Lanka Premier League) teams to look beyond cricket. Sri Lanka has followers of other sports as well and you can also do some franchise tournaments in other sports. Why not look at rugby and football,” Fernando told a trio of Indian businessmen who jet-set landed in Colombo this week to announce their ownership of two private franchise teams in the island.
Fernando is a common patron of more spectator-depleted rugby matches in the country and his offer was directed at the main stakeholder of the LPL, Indian national Anil Mohan, who also graced the occasion to announce the change of the name of the Galle Gladiators team to Galle Marvels at the next IPL and a new team Moratu Marvels that will feature in the first ever Lanka T10 tournament this year. Sri Lanka has not contested international rugby for nearly four years the result of a ban imposed over political bickering while football was also blacklisted for the same reason.
Scores of rugby players have left the island in search of greener pastures and Minister Fernando’s appeal for a franchise event on the lines of cricket’s LPL may have no opponents.
“I will welcome a move for a franchise rugby tournament. It will provide players with financial opportunities also playing alongside foreign professionals. Sri Lanka has players but what we don’t have is the money power unlike cricket.
“We need to keep our players at home for the country to benefit” said former Sri Lanka fly-half and Sevens tournament director Dilroy Fernando.
