NOCSL writes to World Rugby Chief expressing due recognition of Sri Lanka Rugby and its President Rizly

The National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) has officially backed Sri Lanka Rugby and its President Rizly Illyas in writing to the World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont.

NOCSL Secretary General Maxwell de Silva had written to World Rugby in response to the decision taken by the Ministry of Sports suspending Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) registration under the Sports Law for the second time as per the Gazette notification No. 2327/07 dated 11 April 2023.

“This matter has being brought to the notice of International Olympic Committee (IOC)/Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the official position is that IOC/OCA does not recognise any appointed Stabilisation Committee nor any interim arrangements made by the Ministry in terms of the sports law and affairs of the SLR to be governed by its constitution. The National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOC Sri Lanka) always, only recognised the duly elected committee of a National Federation elected as per the constitution approved by the world body,” de Silva wrote to World Rugby.

“In the case of SLR, we only recognise the duly elected committee headed by Mr. Rizly Illyas who is the elected President of SLR. And elections of SLR to be conducted as per its Constitution and NOC Sri Lanka to be consulted when holding elections,” added the NOCSL Secretary General in the letter copied to IOC, OCA, Asia Rugby, Ministry of Sports, Department of Sports.

The NOCSL is the highest independent sports body in Sri Lanka.

Illyas welcomed the NOCSL gesture and expressed confidence that justice will prevail and that rugby and sports will be the ultimate winner. He said for the last three years under his presidency, despite being pushed against the wall with so many suspensions being made both the Ministry of Sports and Asia Rugby, Sri Lanka was able to yet carry out all local tournaments and also participate in three international tournaments successfully.

He said the last Dubai 7’s tournament that the Tuskers took part in was a debacle due to the fact that the Ministry of Sports overturned a decision taken by the SLR Council and the selectors with regards to disciplinary procedures against some players which the ministry overturned due to pressure from certain club authorities in the hill capital. The players went for the tournament underplayed purposefully to bring down the ranking of the national team and thereafter the Ministry of Sports gave permission to a few players to represent a club in Dubai and to take part in an ARFU conducted tournament which was a total violation of the Sports Act.