sports cope

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE

Fernandos make news

We launch this Sunday column titled 'SPORTSCOPE' by complimenting and presenting a big bouquet to Manilal Fernando, the fortress behind the game of football in Sri Lanka.

The reason being that he had the guts to speak out and say that he laments he failed in his campaign to take the game to the promised land.

Accepting responsibility is the hall mark of a statesman. And this virtue Fernando displayed which would be an example to others heading national sports bodies, in an exclusive with our sister paper the 'Daily News' and its writer Richard Dwight.

When others fail, it is customary to lay the blame elsewhere - on the players, the coaches, the office bearers and on every Dick, Tom and Harry and not take the blame on oneself.

But Fernando has broken from the beaten track and in saying 'mea culpa, mea culpa', has shown others how to go and accept blame and not trot out flimsy excuses.

We have known Fernando for donkeys years. In fact from the time he first stepped into the field of soccer administration, when as young and bubbling young man he took on. D.I.G. Herbert Weerasinghe powered by a heavyweight of that time V. K. Arumugam.

As Secretary Arumugam was the power behind the throne. Everyone that Arumugam had thrown into the ring would win with consummate ease. His nominee would be uncontested and if contested, his nominee would romp home and his opponent would end up 'apath nah' - no deposit.

But in Fernando, Arumugam met his Waterloo. In one of the toughest contests in the history of the game, held at the old Government Service Ground at Parsons Road, Fernando upset all odds and won by three votes.

That victory by one so young shook the football world. Arumugam could not believe it. Fernando had thus turned the soccer world up side down.

I can vouch for the fact that it was brilliant thinker, when it came to contests and winning the late J. S. N. Anandaraja who dribbled all opposition and tossed Fernando into the fray. And Fernando delivered!

Anandaraja knew how and formed a formidable team. Names of that team that come to mind are Crysantha Perera, G. A. K. Abeysekera, Donald Bastianpillai, M. T. Fernando, K. Dias and I was the media manager.

An interesting anecdote to ink is this: I was then the Sports Editor of the now defunct 'Daily Mirror' and the Times of Ceylon. When campaigning was reaching fever pitch and the swing was to Fernando, my Editor Felician Fernando summoned me and asked me why I am canvassing for Fernando when, what I should be doing was support another Benedictine in Weerasinghe.

I told my Editor with a twinkle in my eye, that I have the knack of tipping winners and that Fernando would win. The Editor, Weerasinghe and the writer were all Old Benedictines.

Fernando came into the swim of football things as president of the Kalutara Football League in 1976 and in the space of three years adorned the high office of President of the Football Federation.

From that moment there was no looking back for Fernando and it also signalled the good times for the players, the administration and all that stands for football.

Fernando has done things hitherto undone for the game. But although he takes and laments the failure, it is completely not his fault. He has done everything possible by getting down the best of foreign coaches, conducted seminars with foreign expertise and more things too numerous to mention.

But sadly he has not been able to unearth the players who have the talent to deliver. In the past we had natural and brilliant ball players who knew what to do when they had the ball at their feet, whose names are too numerous to mention.

But Fernando is not one who will stop probing. His dream is to get the game to Asian level. He is confident of doing that.

Fernando was the first Sri Lankan to hold office in the world body - legal committee-due to the head of FIFA Sepp Blatter having implicit confidence in him.

He is now a Senior Vice President in the Asian Football Confederation. His idea is to be the big boss of Asian Football and with his interest, efficiency and expertise there is no reason why he should not be.

Another Fernando at it

Another Fernando who deserves a bouquet is Hemasiri Fernando, President of the Sri Lanka Olympic Committee.

Hemasiri like Manilal has lived his dreams - that of putting up the 'Olympic House' like did Manilal who put up the imposing 'Football House'.

Manilal had the benevolence of FIFA and AFC. Hemasiri has tapped the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Committee of Asia.

These world and Asian bodies do no charity. They dish out only if they have the confidence of those heading the local bodies and in Manilal and Hemasiri they have men who work for the benefit of the participants and not themselves.

Now not only do these national bodies have homes to call it their own, they are also good neighbours.

The two Fernandos will always be remembered.

IPL and ICL

The International Cricket Council which has not been on a good batting wicket and who okayed the Indian Premier League and outlawed the Indian Cricket League, will have to bow and legalise the ICL if they want to stay away from being slapped by legal action.

The ICC instead of being forced to do it, will do well to recognise the ICL instead of having their image further tarnished.

Very soon the Indian Cricket League will be laughing.