Observer-Caltex Rugby Awards:

President’s action cherished by all

by A. C. de Silva

OBSERVER-CALTEX AWARDS: President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the most busiest person in the island with so many important issues at hand, was a little late in making it for the Observer-Caltex Rugby Awards ceremony due to his onerous duties, but he nevertheless made it for the show and the good news came at the tail-end when the compere Haritha Perera announced that President Rajapaksa had decided to lift the ban of Kandy Sports Club and CH and FC players from representing the country.

This bit of news certainly came as a surprise when the emcee Haritha Perera was wrapping things up at the awards ceremony. So, the ban imposed for 18 players from Kandy Sports Club and CH and FC for two years by the Minister of Sports and Public Recreation - Gamini Lokuge in April last year when they pulled out of the team for Asian Division One tournament in Dubai over the appointment of CR’s Pavithra Fernando as the captain of the Sri Lanka team, is now off and the players can now play tournament rugby football. Earlier one player Radhika Hettiarachchi of Kandy S.C. tendered an apology and the ban on him was lifted by the Sports Minister Lokuge and Hettiarachchi was able to play for Sri Lanka at the Carlton International Sevens held here in November last year.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, to everyone’s surprise, did not make the customary address to the gathering present at Galle Face Hotel on Friday night, but at the tailend of the show emcee Haritha Perera made it known loud and clear the good news and it will certainly be good news for rugby fans.

The Managing Director of Chevron Lubricants Kishu Gomes said that All the people of Sri Lanka were very thankful to President Rajapakse for ending the 30-year-old war with his astute leadership and it certainly was a sign for economic prosperity to follow. He also thanked the President for the development of sports in Sri Lanka for over 15 years. Kishu Gomes said that it was a well-known fact that the money spent on sports is an investment for the future of a country. It helps to produce people with the right attitude and skills. He said that Sri Lanka needs a strong workforce that will be efficient to take on the global challenges.

Most Outstanding Player of Tournament...... Fazil Marija of Kandy Sports Club (left) receives award from Bandula Padmakumara - Chairman/Managing Director Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited. Marija also won the award for the Best Three-Quarter.

This is also to say that sports helps a country to build up strong sporting personalities. He said that Caltex had spent a staggering 200 million rupees in eleven years as their contribution towards sports so that Sri Lanka’s sportsmen and sportswomen will be in a position to match their counterparts in other parts of the world.

Dr. Maiya Gunasekera - President, SLRFU Interim Committee was on his feet and addressing the gathering when President Mahinda Rajapaksa entered the hall.The SLRFU Interim Committee boss made such a detailed assessment of the situation in rugby circles here in Sri Lanka and during the proceedings of the awards ceremony was constantly in close discussions with President Rajapaksa.

Dr. Gunasekera thanked Caltex for coming forward in sponsoring the rugby tournaments and also thanked the Observer for organising the awards ceremony. His advice: “Play for the country and settle all differences inside, don’t take it outside the country.”

The Chairman and Managing Director of Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited Bandula Padmakumara was also present at the show. Navy skipper Yositha Rajapaksa - the Most Popular Ruggerite received the award from his smiling father President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Most Promising Young Ruggerite Ishan Noor (CR and FC), Best Captain Pradeep Liyanage (Kandy SC), Best Forward Sean Wijesinghe (Kandy SC), Best Three Quarter and Most Outstanding Ruggerite Fazil Marija (Kandy SC) and Best Team - Kandy Sports Club also received awards at the ceremony.

Best Forward...... Shaun Wijesinghe of Kandy Sports Club receives award from Dr. Maiya Gunasekera, Chairman of Interim Committee of SLRFU.	Best Team in tournament...... Pradeep Liyanage - the captain of Kandy Sports Club (left) receives awards from Kishu Gomes - Managing Director/CEO Chevron Lubricants, Lanka PLC.
Ishan Noor (left) of CR and FC - the Most Promising Player receives award from Lasitha Gunaratne - CEO of SLRFU.	Best Captain...... Pradeep Liyanage of Kandy Sports Club receives award from Dinesh Weerawansa - Editor-in-Chief of Sunday Observer.