Dr. Maiya to cure rugby ills

Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) is now being administered by an interim committee, headed by reputed surgeon Dr. Maiya Gunasekera. This is the first time in its 100-year-old history that the SLRFU is having an interim administration.

Minister of Sports and Public Recreation Gamini Lokuge was compelled to take this decision after incumbent President, DIG Nimal Lewke resigned just weeks ahead of the next AGM and election. DIG Lewke made a timely resignation which prevented interested parties' plans from manipulating at the forthcoming elections.

The current voting system of the SLRFU has often been criticised as it provides almost equal number of total votes to clubs in the Western Province and the Central Province. There have been several moves by interested parties in the hill capital to make use of the current controversial voting system to recapture power in Sri Lanka's rugby controlling body.

Prompt action

But the Sports Ministry has taken prompt action by bringing in an interim administration. Minister Lokuge has made a good choice in Dr. Gunasekera as the Chairman of the SLRFU Interim Committee. The former Royal, CR & FC and Sri Lanka player turned surgeon has served Sri Lanka rugby in many capacities - as national coach, Sri Lanka manager, national team doctor, Western Province RFU President, SLRFU Vice President and SLRFU President. He was also the Chef-de-mission of the Sri Lanka contingent for the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games.

Hence, the presence of Dr. Gunasekera, who resigned as Chairman of the National Sports Council (NSC) as the head of the SLRFU interim administration, would help to put the game on the right track.

It is heartening to find many renowned Sri Lanka players of yesteryear coming forward to serve in the Rugby Committee of the SLRFU. The presence of those heavyweights should add more weight to the SLRFU and would not allow 'interested parties' to 'work the blind side'.

Dr. Gunasekera has been firm on the idea of changing the controversial voting structure which undermines the strength and standards of Colombo clubs. In contrast, Kandy-based clubs are now enjoying an almost equal share of votes though there is only one premier division club in the Central Province in Kandy Sports Club. Though some long-standing and established clubs such as CR & FC, CH & FC, Havelocks SC, Army SC, Police SC, Air Force SC and Navy SC come under the Western Province, their collective strength is almost on par with the entire Central Province which has a solitary 'A' division team.

Unhealthy development

Having well understood this unhealthy development, the new SLRFU Interim Committee is going to be firm on the issue of 'major tournaments' stipulated in the SLRFU constitution to determine the number of votes. As Dr. Gunasekera has quite rightly pointed out, there can't be two major tournaments. The only major tournament should be the 'A' division Premier League tournament.

But if both Western and Central Provinces are to have their own major tournaments, the provincial unions must run their own premier tournaments separately. The winners of those provincial tournaments could play in a national level tournament. Then those teams playing in the respective provincial tournaments too could be considered as 'major tournament teams'.

Some power-greedy officials in the past have changed rules and manipulated things to suit their agendas. Granting additional votes to lesser known clubs in the hill capital only strengthened the vote base of those opportunist officials. It is not a matter of granting recognition to outstation clubs. Clubs should earn their number of eligible votes, based on the superiority of the tournament they play.

Then there was this controversial e-mail which did its rounds, requesting clubs to be present for an 'AGM'. Amidst claims that the Secretary of the previous SLRFU ex-co did not have necessary qualifications, those interested elements have 'appointed' their own new secretary.

It was this self-appointed secretary, with the blessings of a senior member of the previous ex-co, who had called the controversial AGM when the Sports Minister has appointed an interim administration after the dissolution of the SLRFU Ex-co. Hence, the motives of those members are crystal clear - to suit a 'man behind the screen' who runs the 'Muppet show'.

Best interests

We strongly believe that Dr. Gunasekera will play it straight and act in a manner to serve the best interests of the game. We hope the surgeon who has cured thousands of patients, could prescribe the right dose of medicine to cure the illnesses that afflicts Sri Lanka rugby. His surgery on rugby should auger well for the game.

As the Chairman, he has proposed a unified voting system for sports controlling bodies (NSAs). After initial discussions, a total of 33 NSAs have been identified as prospective bodies with an islandwide representation - at which the proposed system could be implemented starting next week.

A unified voting system for NSAs will leave little or no room for opportunist officials to change voting structures from time to time to suit their personal agendas. Once and for all, we must rectify these errors so that a single voting rights policy is applicable to all NSAs.