Fifteen key players of the Sri Lanka rugby squad that was scheduled to leave today for Dubai for the Asian Five-Nations qualifier pulled out yesterday causing total disarray and chaos, the Daily Mirror learns.
The 15 players, who form the hardcore of the team, quit over the sudden appointment of a new captain Pavitra Fernando who is the son of National Olympic Committee President Hemasiri Fernando who lodged a complaint with the Sports Ministry.
The appointed captain was Dilanka Wijesekera and the 15 players pulled out in solidarity with him.
The 15 protesting players are Fazil Marija, Kishore Jehan, S. Swarnatilaka, Dinesh Sanjeewa, Sean Wijesinghe, Prasad Chathuranga, Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, Gayan Weeraratne, Mohamed Sheriff, Radika Hettiarachchi and Sajith Saranga from the champion Kandy outfit, Dilanka Wijesekara, Sajith Mallikarachchi, Dinesh Sanjeewa, Sathya Ranathunga and Tuan Shamrok from the Colombo CH and FC team.
Pavitra Fernando hails from Colombo club CR and FC and the reason given for his selection was that he is two years senior to Wijesekera who was a popular favourite for the job a year ago.
The pull-out of the 15-players bring back memories of the recent past where players revolted over the captaincy appointment of Dushanth Lewke whose father Nimal Lewke was the then president of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union.
Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge triggered the latest revolt when he overturned Wijesekera’s appointment for Fernando embarrassing the selectors headed by former Sri Lanka centre Rohan Abeykoon.
Independent observers said yesterday’s pull-out had put the country’s rugby in a worse situation that it was two months ago when Lokuge appointed an Interim Committee to run the affairs of the game.
Interim Committee chairman Dr. Maiya Gunasekera said Sri Lanka will contest the Dubai event after replacing the 15 players with second-string members.
He said the fresh squad will be selected by a new set of selectors and will leave for Dubai tomorrow.
-DM
The 15 players, who form the hardcore of the team, quit over the sudden appointment of a new captain Pavitra Fernando who is the son of National Olympic Committee President Hemasiri Fernando who lodged a complaint with the Sports Ministry.
The appointed captain was Dilanka Wijesekera and the 15 players pulled out in solidarity with him.
The 15 protesting players are Fazil Marija, Kishore Jehan, S. Swarnatilaka, Dinesh Sanjeewa, Sean Wijesinghe, Prasad Chathuranga, Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, Gayan Weeraratne, Mohamed Sheriff, Radika Hettiarachchi and Sajith Saranga from the champion Kandy outfit, Dilanka Wijesekara, Sajith Mallikarachchi, Dinesh Sanjeewa, Sathya Ranathunga and Tuan Shamrok from the Colombo CH and FC team.
Pavitra Fernando hails from Colombo club CR and FC and the reason given for his selection was that he is two years senior to Wijesekera who was a popular favourite for the job a year ago.
The pull-out of the 15-players bring back memories of the recent past where players revolted over the captaincy appointment of Dushanth Lewke whose father Nimal Lewke was the then president of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union.
Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge triggered the latest revolt when he overturned Wijesekera’s appointment for Fernando embarrassing the selectors headed by former Sri Lanka centre Rohan Abeykoon.
Independent observers said yesterday’s pull-out had put the country’s rugby in a worse situation that it was two months ago when Lokuge appointed an Interim Committee to run the affairs of the game.
Interim Committee chairman Dr. Maiya Gunasekera said Sri Lanka will contest the Dubai event after replacing the 15 players with second-string members.
He said the fresh squad will be selected by a new set of selectors and will leave for Dubai tomorrow.
-DM
