- Recommends 24-month suspended playing term
The Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) in an official letter addressed to the DG of Sports Ministry has recommended him to withhold the host rights to Science College for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, in the aftermath of the unprecedented referees’ assault incident on 30 June.
The SLSRFA has informed the DG that they have arrived at the said recommendation during a meeting of its disciplinary committee last Wednesday (3) and to prevent mob-instigated violence at school rugby games.
They have said that the school concerned had failed to provide adequate protection to match officials as per the instructions put forth by them to all host schools.
The Schools Association has also recommended imposing a two-year suspended term of participation in the Schools League and Knock-Out tournaments on Science.
Another startling decision taken and recommended to the DG Sports by the Schools Association has been to allow Science to host its games without the attendance of spectators.
A stringent punishment recommended by the SLSRFA to the DG has been to institute requisite disciplinary action against the outside centre of Science who was red-carded for continuous arguing with referee Abeykoon.
The SLSRFA has lastly suggested prohibiting the MIC of Science College Pubudu Rubasinghe from operating in his current position attached to any school for a period of one-year in view of his dereliction of duty during the course of the game in question.
The brawl allegedly instigated by enraged fans of Science over a disallowed try by referee Ishanka Abeykoon saw the latter and his assistant Jeewaka Fonseka being manhandled at Air Force grounds Ratmalana in a game won 30-26 by the Thomians.
The duo, were later forced to seek treatment for injuries sustained from the beating at the Kalubowila Hospital.
Immediately afterwards, the Referees Society, following a meeting of its members, decided to withdraw from officiating till 15 July citing lax security for match officials and unsound mental state of its members.
Dinka & Co lay down conditions
Rugby Referees Society of Sri Lanka (RRSSL) President Dinka Peiris says that his association was willing to reconsider returning to officiate in the ongoing Schools League if the Schools Association is able to convince them of follow-up action linked to three conditions which they had laid down.
According to Peiris they have sought a firm announcement from the SLSRFA as to the precise date of the disciplinary inquiry to be conducted related to the number 13 player who was red carded by referee Ishanka Abeykoon.
Secondly, they have called for the match commissioner’s report over the incident and finally they have requested the SLSRFA to specify precisely as to what action will be instituted against the match organisers as per the Provisions of the World Rugby Code of Conduct.
Peiris added that if the Schools Association could fulfil these aforementioned conditions, his Society will urgently reconsider their decision to boycott the Schools League for the next fortnight.