Schools rugby hit by referees boycott

by Ranjan Anandappa

A deadlock situation prevailed with the rugby referees refusing to blow at school matches inspite of the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Association pledging to provide the maximum security from both schools (home and visiting team) during matches at a meeting held last Thursday.

The school rugby matches scheduled to be played yesterday were between Royal and Dharmatsja at the Royal College Sports Complex grounds. St. Peter's and Wesley at Bambalapitiya Trinity Vs Isipathana at Pallekelle and Science vs St. Joseph's ar Mount Lavinia were not played due to the non-availability of referees.

On Friday morning they met again and the suggestion by the Referees Association to play matches without spectators was rejected by all ten top rugby playing schools in the league.

In a bid to resolve the situation Minister Of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage summoned a meeting at 4.00pm on Friday with the President of the SLRFU Asanga Seneviratne, President of the SLSRFA Ranjith Chandrasekera and the President of the Referees Association Orville Fernando. A decision could not be found due to the President of the Referees Association Orville Fernando failing to turn up for the meeting and as a result the schools matches had to be postponed.

An official of the SLSRFA said that it was very unfair for the referees to boycott matches even after giving a firm assurance of protection at a meeting held on Thursday.

The SLSRFA spends a colossal sum of over four million rupees from their annual grant for the referees for officiating in all groups of matches. He said that a sum of Rs. 17,000 plus Rs. 2,000 as subsistence is paid for a referee officiating in Colombo in a junior and senior match and for a match in Kandy they are paid Rs. 17,000 plus Rs. 6,000 as subsistence for a match.

However, Orville Fernando the President of the Referees Association insisted that the school authorities should take the blame for the present chaotic situation which has arisen with regard to the safety of the referees during school matches.

The Referees Association has been repeatedly warning the school rugby authorities on several occasions on previous incidents occurred that they are not prepared to officiate amidst rugby violence on referees. But their representations have fallen on deaf ears.

The disputes arose after the match between Isipathana and St. Peter's played even at a neutral venue, at the Sugathadasa Stadium, when referee Irshad Cader was verbally abused .

In a match played on June 1, between St.Joseph's and Dharmaraja a tense situation prevailed with a section of the crowd invading the playing field after the match and targeting referee Charith Kodagoda.

If the present situation is not brought under control quickly the conflict between the players/spectators towards the man controlling the game will continue and a day will come to realise that a life is more precious than a few thousands of rupees.