Senior referee retires due to Rajapaksa pressure

Saturday, 18 May 2013

Senior referee and former head of the Sri Lanka Rugby Referees Association, Dilory Fernando has decided to quit the game completely due to the increased political interferences in the game.

Fernando’s resignation comes after the referees association decided not to referee any match played by the Science College team coached by Rohitha Rajapaksa this season.

The decision to boycott Science College games was made after the referee at the Science College and St. Peter’s College match was assaulted by Science College players two weeks back.

The referees association had also called on the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union to inform them of the action taken by the Union against the player (Rohitha Rajapaksa) who assaulted the referee at the Navy vs. Police match during the Rugby Sevens Tournament a few weeks back.

It is learnt that the referees association and senior referees have come under pressure from the First Family to stop ‘harassing’ the Rajapaksa sons.

According to sources, Fernando has had enough of all this and decided to quit the game.

Namal sets up rugby team paying millions

Saturday, 18 May 2013

First Son and parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa has set up a rugby team for Hambantota called the Hambantota Sharks to play A Division rugby.

Namal is partnered by Minister Johnston Fernando’s son, Yohan Fernando in this endeavor.

Although a rugby team has a long process to follow before being permitted to play A Division rugby in the country, Namal has paid Rs. 2 million to get the necessary approvals for the team to play league rugby without following any B Division games.

The Rajapaksa sons are currently engaged in trying to hold a monopoly in the rugby field. The Navy Sports Club team is already sponsored by the Rajapaksas and now the Hamabantota Sharks.

According to local rugby players, the harassments faced by the players and referees would increase with the increased participation of the Rajapaksas in the game.

They also pointed out that the Rajapaksas would now start poaching key players from other teams and any refusal would be met with physical threats and harassments.