Appointments of SLR Tournament Committee forwarded to Sports DG

By Shamseer Jaleel

Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) appointments of the Tournament Committee for the 2024/2025 rugby season was forwarded to Sports Minister and Director General (DG) Dr. Shemal Fernando for approval last week.

DG Fernando, who is overseeing rugby affairs under a special gazette, appointed several members to the Committee, with the Sports Ministry under Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya’s eagle eyes.

The new Committee is tipped to be approved in the near future but the appointments did not please many Provincial Unions. They are calling for the immediate disbandment of the Committee and for the suspension of tournament preparations until the AGM issue is legally settled. A court verdict is expected on 6 November regarding the legitimacy of the SLR AGM, which could impact the authority of the current Committee and determine the tournament’s future.

World Rugby has extended the deadline for the summoning of the AGM to 15 January 2025, which will be the final deadline. The original deadline was 8 November, but later, World Rugby gave a further three-month extension for SLR to hold the AGM or face suspension.

Prime Minister Amarasuriya referred the matter to the Attorney General (AG), which made the Court verdict set for 6 November, which is expected to clear the legal way forward for the SGM and AGM of SLR.

Further, the newly appointed National Sports Council Chairman Priyantha Ekanayake, though appointed two weeks earlier, is unable to take decisions on his own as his committee too is yet to be appointed.

Former Royalist Shamrath Fernando is tipped to continue as the Tournament Director while Former Trinity Lion, CH and FC, and national player Rohan Abeykoon is tipped to take on a dual role leading the Tournament Committee and Sponsorship Committee. 

All these positions are nominated and those who are involved directly with a leading ‘A’ Division club will not be eligible. Further, the list awaits approval by the Sports DG in the near future. 

The tournament, originally expected to kick off in the third week of November, faces a tight deadline. 

SLR Tournament Organising/Coordinating Committees

(15-a-side Rugby Men’s League, Knockouts/7s Tournaments, Women Rugby 10s /15s /7s, and Foreign Tournaments) – 2024/2025

Shamrath Fernando – Tournament Director

1. Tournament Committee

Rohan Abeyakoon – Chairman

Rtd. Senior DIG M.R. Latiff 

Dinusha Jayatissa

Achala Ramanayake

Dr. Namith Sankalpana – Medical Director

Wimal Senanayake – Chairman Citing Commissioners

Dinka Peiris – Representative SLSRFR 

Representatives from all participating clubs

2. Sponsorship Committee

Rohan Abeykoon – Chairman

Shane Dullewa

Hassan Singhawansa

Kamal Mahendra

 3. Disciplinary Committee

Maj. Gen. Krishanarathne – Chairman

Hafeze Marso

Trizviily Marikkar

Chamath Surasena, AAL

 4. Technical Committee

Tony Amith – Chairman

Nihal Gunaratne

Ananda Kasthuriarachchi

Brig. J.P.A. Jayawardhana

 5. Tournament Operations

T. Weerakkody – SLR Training Education Manager and Women’s Rugby Development Manager/Women’s Games Coordinator

Roshan De Silva – SLR Media Manager – Disciplinary, Judiciary Inquires/Social, Print Media

Kamal Jayathilake – SLR HP Manager – Player Sanctions/Medical/Welfare/Antidoping

I. Thalpage – SLR Tournament and TandE Coordinator- Players, Officials Registrations and Stats

N. Hussan – SLR Tournament Administration – Documents, Payment approvals for officials

Mahesh Iddawela – SLR Accountant – Tournament Budgets/Approvals/Payments

Upali Nanayakkara – Part-time SLR Tournament data and scores updates