Lewke refutes allegations against SLRFU

by Lal Gunesekera

RUGBY: Players from China and Malaysia were wearing their national jersies at the Singer Rugby Asiad concluded yesterday in Colombo. They were their country's national sides even if they were young and development sides.

This was the opinion of the President of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU), DIG Nimal Lewke, who refuted claims made by certain individuals that China and Malaysia were not represented in Colombo by their national sides.

He said that only India "faced certain difficulties" and fielded a South Indian side. However, he said that Sri Lanka were represented by a side tagged as the "Colombo Wanderers" at an Asiad held in Taiwan in the 1970's when the SLRFU was headed by the late William Molegoda, but this was the national side of Sri Lanka.

DIG Lewke, who also heads the elite Special Task Force (STF) of the Police, also denied claims that the Pakistan side were badly treated at a game at Longden Place last Wednesday. He said: It was alleged that the Pakistanis were refused permission to enter the pavilion and that they left the venue. But the correct position is that were not permitted to enter the VIP enclosure and that they watched the proceedings from a section of the pavilion. This is all the work of certain disgruntled persons.

Sri Lanka entered the Cup category final after a lapse of 33 years. They last did so in 1974 under Dr. Indrajith Coomaraswamy. Also, it was after 17 years that Sri Lanka hosted the Asiad just concluded in Colombo with great success.