• Plans afoot for SGM and AGM 

The seven-month long deadlock between Sri Lanka Rugby’s Competent Authority Dr. Shemal Fernando and seven provincial unions, which dragged the sport in unprecedented fashion to Aluthkade, ended yesterday (4), after both warring parties had reached a long-overdue settlement before the Court of Appeal.

This was confirmed to The Daily Morning Sports by Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPRFU) Secretary Waruna de Silva.

He said as per the arrangement reached between the two factions and according to the Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) constitution, an Election Committee has to be formed at a Special General Meeting (SGM). 

Nitty-gritty

“Then subsequently an Annual General Meeting (AGM) has to be called and the new office bearers who are voted into the SLR Council at the AGM, will have the authority to either revise the current SLR constitution or not,” said de Silva, explaining the nitty-gritty of the process which both camps had agreed to.

He said the entire process would take a fair amount of time, before a new set of office bearers could move into the new SLR Council, as roughly 14-days’ notice has to be given for an SGM, while around 40-days would be needed to call for nominations and the holding of the AGM.

He was of the view that whatever happens, SLR will need to move in with the staging of the SGM and the AGM, before the deadline set for compliance by World Rugby (WR) for 31 January 2025.

This is to abide by the sport’s world body’s instructions, to amend the SLR constitution to its satisfaction or run the risk of its membership being suspended.

The Sports Ministry DG was represented in the litigation process by the Attorney General’s (AGs) Department.

The case is however set to be reconvened today (5) to officially inform the Court over the settlement reached between the two parties – DG of the Sports Ministry and provincial union representatives at which point it is expected to be dismissed, added de Silva.

When contacted Dr. Shemal Fernando sought time till today, to convey his standpoint on the matter to the media.

League further delayed?

It was not immediately clear as to what would become of the forthcoming league tournament and critics noted that its start will now likely lapse into next month.

This is considering the time needed to sort out logistics issues such as formation of various committees to oversee the tournament and the impracticality of doing so in lieu of the holiday season being around the corner, being foremost among them.

The provincial unions had obtained an interim injunction against the Sports Ministry DG Dr. Fernando before the Court of Appeal, over what they perceived to be his move to amend certain provisions of the SLR constitution, having disregarded stakeholder concerns.

The seven-month-long legal wrangle between the SLR Competent Authority and the provincial unions, has also hampered the start of the 2024-25 inter-club rugby league tournament.

The SLR was dissolved 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 SLR has already been put on red alert, by the sport’s global governing body, over its noncompliance of its instructions to grant A Division clubs voting powers at AGMs, as opposed to those from provincial unions, by amending its constitution.