Throw out Interim Committee or no money, Sri Lanka told
By Asanka GammanpilaThe Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) is in a critical situation after the International Rugby Board (IRB) expressed its displeasure over the appointment of an Interim Committee to run the affairs of the game.
Jerrad Gallagher, the IRB’s Regional Development Manager for Asia who was in Sri Lanka this week, conducted a study on government intervention in the sport and is reported to have been unhappy over the set-up which could result in a complete cut-off of international funding according to insiders.
Gallagher came to the negative conclusion after he met past administrators, club presidents, members of the current Interim Committee and disgruntled Provincial Unions, the Daily Mirror learns.
Rugby in Sri Lanka is currently under a government-appointed Interim Committee headed by Dr. Maiya Gunasekera as chairman and Kiran Atapattu as secretary.
The IRB funds Sri Lanka’s rugby progress with an annual grant of 75,000 pounds sterling amounting to over Rs.11 million.
Provincial Union president of the Galle RFU Kumar Abeywardena who met Gallagher said the IRB had shut the door on its funding in Sri Lanka.
“There will be no more funding unless office bearers of rugby are elected democratically. They (IRB) cannot trust these interim committees which are answerable to the government and not the game and the only way out is to conduct the annual general meeting”, said Abeywardena.
Iswan Omar. president of the Central Province Rugby Football Union from where the domestic champions Kandy hail, said it was a sad situation.“They have only promised us a small sum to pay out the salaries of provincial development officers. We explained to the IRB our long-term development programme and now all work has come to a standstill”, said Omar.
But Dr. Gunasekera painted a different picture saying the meeting with the IRB came off well and Sri Lanka could look forward to continued international funding.
“We explained to them (IRB) that the Sports Minister installed an interim committee as the SLRFU was unconstitutional”, said Dr. Gunasekera.
By Asanka GammanpilaThe Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) is in a critical situation after the International Rugby Board (IRB) expressed its displeasure over the appointment of an Interim Committee to run the affairs of the game.
Jerrad Gallagher, the IRB’s Regional Development Manager for Asia who was in Sri Lanka this week, conducted a study on government intervention in the sport and is reported to have been unhappy over the set-up which could result in a complete cut-off of international funding according to insiders.
Gallagher came to the negative conclusion after he met past administrators, club presidents, members of the current Interim Committee and disgruntled Provincial Unions, the Daily Mirror learns.
Rugby in Sri Lanka is currently under a government-appointed Interim Committee headed by Dr. Maiya Gunasekera as chairman and Kiran Atapattu as secretary.
The IRB funds Sri Lanka’s rugby progress with an annual grant of 75,000 pounds sterling amounting to over Rs.11 million.
Provincial Union president of the Galle RFU Kumar Abeywardena who met Gallagher said the IRB had shut the door on its funding in Sri Lanka.
“There will be no more funding unless office bearers of rugby are elected democratically. They (IRB) cannot trust these interim committees which are answerable to the government and not the game and the only way out is to conduct the annual general meeting”, said Abeywardena.
Iswan Omar. president of the Central Province Rugby Football Union from where the domestic champions Kandy hail, said it was a sad situation.“They have only promised us a small sum to pay out the salaries of provincial development officers. We explained to the IRB our long-term development programme and now all work has come to a standstill”, said Omar.
But Dr. Gunasekera painted a different picture saying the meeting with the IRB came off well and Sri Lanka could look forward to continued international funding.
“We explained to them (IRB) that the Sports Minister installed an interim committee as the SLRFU was unconstitutional”, said Dr. Gunasekera.
