The National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) maintained its stance yet again expressing that they recognize only the elected Sri Lanka Rugby Executive Committee headed by its President Rizly Illyas and not any Stabilisation Committee appointed by the Ministry of Sports of Sri Lanka.
This is after the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Roshan Ranasinghe, following in the footsteps of former Minister of Sports Namal Rajapaksa, issued a Government Gazette Notification once again suspending the very same elected SLR Executive Committee, even though the Court of Appeal had set aside the former Minister Rajapaksa's issued gazette and handed back the reins to the duly elected Executive Committee of SLR to run the affairs of the sport in the country.
The NOCSL Secretary General Maxwell De Silva responding to World Rugby's Regional Partnership Manager Ridzal Saad's query on the stance opted by the NOCSL, responded by saying: “The NOC as always will only recognise a duly elected committee of any National Federation as per the constitution approved by its world body. In the case of rugby, we only recognise the duly elected committee headed by Rizly Iliyas who is the elected President of SL Rugby. We denounce the Ministry of Sports actions, as well as any action undermining Illiyas, even by Asian Rugby, which we witnessed earlier. A formal letter will be issued to World Rugby by NOC under my signature as approved at today's EB of NOCSL. I wish Ilyas my best and appreciate his stand taken against political victimisation in SL.”
The NOCSL Sec. General De Silva responded after World Rugby had contacted SLR's Executive Director Hassan Sinhawansa and had queried as to what stance the NOCSL had taken regarding the second suspension that the Ministry of Sports had made against SLR.
Meanwhile when The Daily Morning Sports contacted Suresh Subramaniam, the President of the NOCSL for a quote he said: “Very unfortunately after 75 years we still haven't realised that Sri Lanka can boast of only two Olympic medals and one world cup each in the 50 over ODI and T20 format till to date. Obviously something is wrong somewhere. Is it political interference or no proper procedure or plans being in place? I am of the firm belief that corrupt officials must be punished. Also some of them hide behind their International Federations and do all the wrong things. It doesn't mean that the Ministry of Sports can tarnish or treat all other Sport Federations and Associations who are working diligently and honestly, just because of a handful of such officials. There must be a mechanism in place to punish such rogue officials. Unfortunately most of such rogue officials have political patronage. The NOCSL is a non-governmental and a non-profit-making organisation. We are answerable to the IOC and have to play by their stringent rules. I have and will not tolerate any such rogue officials under my leadership. Sadly, Sri Lanka as a nation will be in this same position even after another 100 years until we change our archaic Sports Law Act of 1973. The Ministry of Sports has also appointed a bunch of corrupt officials into important committees. At times it's disgraceful to even sit beside and serve in the same committee.”
Many respected rugby greats who have donned the national jersey with great pride opined that the Minister of Sports Ranasinghe has been simply misled by many and he is not only making a mockery of the sport of rugby but making a mockery of himself too.
When The Daily Morning Sports contacted the elected SLR President Rizly Illyas for a quote he said: “As the democratically elected President of SLR, me and the rest of the SLR Council Members respect the decision taken by the Minister of Sports and his issued government gazette notification, even though we are well aware that he has been misled by two past SLR Presidents and also the former Minister of Sports Namal Rajapaksa. Up until today there has not been any inquiry or any intimation made by the Ministry of Sports to SLR in reference to my personal matter with ARFU President Qais Abdulla, even though he has illegally suspended me from ARFU to prevent me holding office. My legal team and I have attended every zoom inquiry meeting regarding my matter which was based on a personal WhatsApp message to him. During the inquiry, my legal team asked ARFU to submit the complaint made by Qais Abdallah Al Dhalai and also the relevant minutes discussed regarding the same at the ARFU Council Meeting. Till to date they have not submitted any of the documents that my legal team has requested. We have also requested to cross-examine ARFU Council Members which include former SLR President Asanga Seniviratne too. ARFU is part of a world body and it is disappointing to note that they conduct such inquiries similar to that of a kangaroo court.”
“It is also disappointing to note that the Ministry of Sports of Sri Lanka is siding with a regional sports body and not its very own national sport body. My legal team awaits the ARFU decision and if in the event there is no fairness in the right to appeal, my legal team will then reach out to the Sports Arbitration Courts in Lausanne Switzerland. We at SLR trust and believe in our country's justice system. When the Court of Appeal set aside the former Minister Rajapaksa's gazette and provided SLR interim relief, an undertaking was provided by the legal team representing the Ministry of Sports that a meeting would be organised between the incoming Minister of Sports and SLR to iron out differences that had led to the gazette being issued. Sadly that meeting was never accorded to SLR by the new Minister Roshan Ranasinghe. But instead in a case of double jeopardy, besides disrespecting the undertaking provided to the Court of Appeal, he once again decided to suspend the Membership of SLR.”