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| Sunday, 25 August 2002 |
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SLRFU to take action against six Kandy players by LAL GUNESEKERA The Council of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) will decide to take some sort of action against the six players from Kandy Sports Club who first indicated that they were willing, if selected, to represent Sri Lanka at the Rugby 7's event of the 17th Commonwealth Games staged in Manchester, England recently and later withdrew from the pool. The President of the SLRFU Captain Harsha Mayadunne, told the Sunday Observer that Kandy SC had first indicated that they were not available for the Commonwealth Games,but after much persuasion made themselves available. Then the selectors picked a 23-member side from which the final 12 were to be picked on July 6, which included six players from Kandy SC. Then again, these six players pulled out from the pool. Captain Mayadunne said: "Different excuses were trotted out by these players from Kandy SC, although some were injured. We were let down badly and coach Asanga Seneviratne was left with the best available talent. Even the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Johnston Fernando, was of the opinion that Kandy Sports Club had let the country down badly, and action will have to be taken. He said that the country should always come first, and not the club. A spokesman for Kandy Sports Club was of the opinion that Sri Lanka would never have had any chances at Manchester and left it to the players whether to make themselves available or not. The six Kandy SC players involved are - Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, Radhika Hettiaratchi, Nalaka Weerakoddy, Indrajith Bandaranayake, Ajith Mallikaratchi and Chamara Vithanage. At the Commonwealth Games, Sri Lanka, fared disastrously, losing to Wales (7-55), South Africa (0-82) which was the biggest win in the tournament and Tonga (12-47) in the pool games, while losing to Scotland (0-57) in the 'quarters' of the Bowl category. Meanwhile, Captain Mayadunne, also disclosed that he was hopeful that the International Rugby Board (IRB) will release sterling pounds 100,000 towards the construction of the new SLRFU headquarters. he said: "We have completed stage I of the project and stage II will begin shortly and includes the dormitory, gymnasium, rugby shop, restaurant and a few offices among others." Mayadunne added that he discussed the issue with the IRB and that he is in touch with Dublin, and they (the IRB) have virtually agreed to give us a capital grant of Sterling Pounds 100,000 soon. Even the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Johnston Fernando, promised the SLRFU Rs. 5 million when he declared open the new office complex in February and said that they are awaiting this promised sum from the Ministry. IRB's Regional Development Manager for Asia, Jarrad Gallagher from New Zealand, was in Sri Lanka earlier this month and apart from explaining and discussing the SLRFU's plans for its new headquarters and development program which was well received by Gallagher, the Kiwi had discussions with coaches and development officers of the SLRFU too. |
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