By Ranjika Perera

The Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) is currently in a spot of bother with regard to holding its Annual General Meeting (AGM) of 2021. The current committee under Anura de Silva is set to finish their term at the end of this month. But with the sudden surge in Covid-19 pandemic in the island, public gatherings are restricted, the public is not allowed to cross Provinces, and the whole country is amidst intermittent lockdowns. The FFSL AGM was initially scheduled to be held on 30 May (Sunday).

Dr. Fernando expects final decision on 24 May

Being a doctor himself by profession, Fernando Jr. does not want to override any health protocols but yet believes the relevant authorities ought to find a way to hold the election soon and in a safe manner.

Future plans

When asked about his plans for the future if he is to be elected as the next FFSL President, Dr. Fernando said: “I’m always eager to resume the Super League (which is temporarily halted due to the sudden surge in the pandemic) or at least make a final decision on how it has to be conducted in future. The clubs are awaiting. They have already spent something close to Rs. 27 million mainly for PCR Tests alone. As a priority, I want to resume it,” he stressed.

“People are also waiting for something entertaining to distract them from all the bad news at the moment. I heard the LPL (Lanka Premier League) cricket tournament has been brought forward and to be held mid year. The tourists too can come into the country now and travel within the country inside a bio bubble. Therefore I don’t see why we cannot resume football as well,” argued Dr. Fernando.

Not practical

“However, one would still argue that they could have had the election virtually. The Sports Ministry has given the green light for the Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) and the Sri Lanka Squash Federation (SLSF) to have their election via Zoom technology (virtually). But the FFSL cannot fundamentally have a virtual vote since our elections are held in an anonymous voting system or a secret ballot,” Dr. Fernando further explained.

“Given the current situation and the restrictions put forward by the government and the health sector, it doesn’t seem practical to have the AGM on the scheduled date.”

“An FFSL cluster”

“The FFSL consists of 64 leagues around the island. There are three voters each from every league and the total number of delegates comes up to about 192,” noted Dr. Fernando.

Since the public is not allowed to cross Provinces, the FFSL would need to get a special approval from the government authorities to have the election anyway. This could potentially create a backlash from the public too," we went on arguing.

“Even if you take a special permission from the government, holding the AGM with the participaton of around 200 people inside an enclosed area itself may carry a huge risk given the circumstances. The FFSL would not want to create another (Covid-19) cluster with their name on it,” stressed a cautious Dr. Fernando.