• Referees Society to boycott Schools League? 

The country’s foremost rugby referee Ishanka Abeykoon yesterday (1 July) vowed that he will not officiate in any inter-school rugby match in the foreseeable future unless his protection could be guaranteed by the organisers of the Schools League to his utmost satisfaction.

He said he has taken this decision in the wake of the post-match mayhem that ensued in the game between Science and S. Thomas’ which was won by the latter 30-26 at the Air Force grounds Ratmalana on Sunday (30 June).

The post-match fracas saw Abeykoon and one of his assistant referee’s Jeewaka Fonseka being manhandled by irate fans of Science College, over what they perceived to be a disallowed try.

However, Abeykoon the country’s leading referee said that both he and his assistant referee had spotted a double movement of the Science player in the process of him crossing the whitewash which had prompted him to refrain from awarding a five-pointer.

Abeykoon said that afterwards the livid supporters of Science had pounced on him and his assistant referee Jeawaka Mendis resulting in them being assaulted while the other assistant referee Gihan Yatawara had managed to escape from the marauding hooligans. 

“Both I myself and Jeewaka had to be hospitalised due to severe injuries suffered,” Abeykoon told The Daily Morning Sports.

“I was discharged on Sunday itself but I still have a severe pain in my head and shoulders due to the severity of the attack. I think Jeewaka (Fonseka) was due to be discharged on Monday (1 July). But, I have taken the decision that unless my security can be assured 100 percent, I will henceforth not ‘blow’ in inter-school rugby matches of this country, as it is not worth to sacrifice my time for this sort of despicable return at the end of the day”

He further added that if the post-match fracas had escalated further his life could have been in serious danger as such was the severity of the attack by the Science supporters.

He said already complaints have been lodged with the Mount Lavinia Police and noted that three suspects have been arrested by the Police in connection with the melee.

Meanwhile, when contacted by this paper the head of the Rugby Referees Society Dinka Peiris emphasised that they were likely to boycott officiating in the ongoing Schools League in the aftermath of the incident at Ratmalana last Sunday.

He said a final decision on it was likely to be reached at a meeting of its members scheduled for late in the night yesterday.

Efforts made to contact the President of the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) Kamal Ariyasingha or its Secretary Manuja Nimmana for their reaction proved futile as they failed to respond.