Ex-Navy ruggerite Bin Galiph dies under tragic circumstances

by Hafiz Marikar

A true, devoted and committed former Sri Lanka Navy sportsman Bin Galiph died under tragic circumstances on Wednesday.

Galiph was riding his motorcycle at Rajagiriya when he was knocked down and run over by a bus.

His Janaza took place at the Maligawatta Muslim burial grounds on Thursday.

A fine product of St Michael's College Dematagoda, Galiph was a classic footballer during his days, and it was after joining the Navy that he took to rugby. He was an outstanding, humble and a loveable personality in the Navy football and rugby fields.

"Bin," as he was known far and wide, had the distinction of playing in the Clifford Cup rugby final, when the sailors entered the final after 13 years in 1989. He was also a member of the 1976 Cup final team. In 1989 in the semi-finals, the sailors entered the final on the toss of a coin after extra time failed to break the six-all deadlock against Police. It was the Navy's Bin Galiph, Hilmy Saheed and Jeffery Jamalon and Hafeez Marso, Nizam Jamaldeen and K.P. Subasinghe from Police who were on target in the penalty shoot-out that took place in semi darkness, before Navy skipper late Parakrama Samaraweera was given the option by referee Tony Amith of calling for the toss of a coin. Samaraweera called "heads" to knock out defending triple champion Police.

In the final Navy gave a fight to CR and FC, but lost 3-6., Navy got a penalty in the last second of the game, from 40 meters but Bin failed.

He was also a top class footballer and gave his best for Navy Defence Services.

He also played rugby and football for the country. Some of his team mates at rugby were Sampath Peries, Parakrama Samaraweera, N. K.D. Nanayakkara, Pradeep Dabare, Jeffery Jamalon, Hilmy Saheed, Lal Wijesiri, K.P.L. Nissanka, Chulaka Herath, H.G.N. Wijeratne, Susantha Fernando, Mahinda Ratne and Jagath Priyaratne.