Rugby Kid Assault: Moms Gang Up Against Cruelty; Education Ministry Mum On Sadistic Behaviour
A cross section of Facebook female commentators made up mainly of mothers have unified in one voice and expressed their anguish and disgust, with reference to World Rugby Educator and St. Peter’s College coach Sanath Martis’ assault on one of his rugby student kids, which was caught on video camera recently.
The group of mothers’ one plea is that Coach Martis be punished for his actions and also be banned from coaching children in future.
A lady named Tina Edward Gunawardhana wrote “If it was my child that man will be wearing his gonads as ear rings”
The video clip containing this ugly incident soon went viral on social media and instantly had many commentators both in Sri Lanka and overseas expressing their displeasure regarding Coach Martis’ shocking assault.
Coach Sanath Martis who over the years was alleged to have massacred many of his rugby students in the name of discipline, was finally caught, red handed on tape, when the incident was recorded by a spectator who had come to witness the friendly rugby encounter played between St. Peter’s versus D.S. Senanayake at Havelock Park in January 2019.
Ross Mitchell the Consultant General Manager of Asian Rugby the Asian arm that comes under World Rugby confirmed that both Asian Rugby and World Rugby have officially communicated with the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union regarding this incident.
Many are of the hope that the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) will investigate this matter thoroughly and submit their findings to Asian Rugby, so that appropriate disciplinary action could be taken by World Rugby against their appointed Educator and Trainer Sanath Martis.
However, over the years, the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) have always been at loggerheads with the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union.
The SLSRFA when it suits them best go on to state that they are run independently, as they also report to the Ministry of Education.
It was only as recent as in 2014 when the SLSRFA in protest, blackened out the SLRFU logos off the Sri Lanka Under 20 players rugby jerseys during in the Rugby Asiad which was played at Race Course grounds in Colombo. The stance taken that day by officials of the SLSRFA was a direct insult to the SLRFU, indicating that they do come directly under the Ministry of Sport.
