• Seven-month long stand-off to end?

The Court of Appeal is scheduled to give its final verdict regarding the petition filed by seven provincial unions against the Director General (DG) of the Sports Ministry Prof. Shemal Fernando, over the amendments to be introduced to the constitution of Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR), today (4).

This was confirmed to The Daily Morning Sports, by Prof. Fernando, in his capacity as the Competent Authority (CA) of SLR, since its dissolution by former Sports Minister Harin Fernando on 29 May, over its failure to hold its election of office bearers before the annual deadline 31 May.

“The Court is set to deliver its final verdict on the SLR case, on Wednesday,” he said when pressed for its outcome, after the case was convened on Tuesday (3).

“The Court put off the case as a lawyer for the petitioners was not present, when it was taken up on Tuesday. So hopefully things get resolved at long last, as far as rugby is concerned,” he quipped, requesting this paper to contact him on Wednesday, for its final determination.

The provincial unions had obtained an interim injunction against the DG concerned, before the Court of Appeal, over what they perceive to be his move to amend certain provisions of the SLR constitution, having overlooked stakeholder concerns.

The ongoing litigation brought against the Sports Ministry DG, has also been a stumbling block to the commencement of the 2024-25 inter-club rugby league tournament, as Prof. Fernando has been instructed to put the start of the season on hold, till the conclusion of the ongoing case against him. The tournament was originally scheduled to kick off in late November. 

The former Minister also suspended three other sports federations namely netball, cycling and motor racing, in late May over the same reason.

Prof. Fernando who functioned as the CA for each of those sports, also expressed optimism that the legal cases which are pending linked to those sports, could also be resolved before the end of this month.

“It is not only in rugby, but there are cases filed by those at the helm of the federations of netball, cycling and motor racing and let us hope that those cases also are resolved to the contentment of all stakeholders concerned,” he pointed out.

“I have overseen those bodies for the past seven months now. It is time that these bodies are handed back to those capable of helming them effectively and for the ultimate success of those sports.”

Sri Lanka Rugby has already been put on red notice by the game’s global governing body – World Rugby (WR), over its noncompliance of its instructions to grant A Division clubs voting powers at Annual General Meetings (AGMs), as opposed to those from provincial unions by amending its constitution.

The long-running stand-off between the SLR Competent Authority and the provincial unions, has already forced the hand of WR, who have extended its deadline to comply with its instructions on or before 31 January 2025 or be at risk of a suspension of its membership.