Archives

by Our Kandy Sports Correspondent

Kandy Football League's 'A' Division inter club soccer match between Reliance Sports Tennakumbura and Sissu Sports Club, Mawilmada came to an abrupt end as the referee was mercilessly assaulted by one of the teams in the first half at the Bogambara Stadium. At the time of the incident Reliance SC were leading 1-0. Dhammika Perera of the Kandy Football Referees Association who controlled this game had to be rushed to the Kandy hospital for treatment for his injuries.

This game turned out to be a hotly contested affair from the word and the Reliance appeared to be having a slight edge on their opponents. In fact they opened scoring in the 13th minutes through a goal by W.M. Rahim.

Then in the 25th minute referee Dhammika Perera penalised a Reliance player for an infringement and a free kick was awarded. This was followed by a mayhem as one of the players from the Reliance team assaulted the referee and others joined the fray and this official was beaten and put on the ground, and kicked like a football. One of the players was even seen rushing in with a broken piece of a chair. What is most surprising was that even the goal keeper joined the assault. Some of the officials present rushed in and saved the referee from further mauling and took him to Kandy Hospital for further treatment.

At least four players were involved in this uncalled for assault on the referee and one of them has three previous records of assaulting referees and one of them being an International Referee who since then has refrained from officiating in matches at the Bogambara Stadium. This particular player was suspended from soccer by the Kandy Football League for assaulting a referee but this suspension was later lifted. This matter has been reported to the Kandy Police who are looking for the suspects who are reportedly gone into hiding. Senior Vice President of the Kandy FL Maurice Perera said that this is a very serious offence and stern action will be taken against the offenders after receiving the report of the referee and subsequent inquiry.

This matter has also been reported to the President of the Kandy FL DIG Bodhi Liyanage who is away from Kandy who has instructed the Executive Committee to look into this matter and take appreciate action as deemed to be necessary.

It is unfortunate that an incident of this nature had taken place when the present administration of the Kandy Football League is making an attempt to make the game of soccer popular in the hill capital and to draw the crowds once again by conducting both 'A' Division and 'B' Division inter club matches simultaneously at the Bogambara Stadium.

In fact the Kandy Football League does not have sufficient funds to pay the ground fees and the Committee Members have advanced this sum till sponsorship come their way.

Kandy District Soccer coach S.A. Weerasinghe said that this kind of violence on the referee must be stamped out as otherwise the referees may refuse to blow at matches fearing their own safety.

At the time of incident there was no policeman present at the ground to apprehend the trouble creators and this is a something both the Kandy FL and the Kandy Police should look into and see whether there has any lapse which needs rectification.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager