A video shared on social media following the annual colours night ceremony at Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya has triggered widespread public debate after a student claimed she was unfairly denied a sports award.

The video, which has since gone viral, shows the student making a public announcement stating that she did not receive an award at the ceremony held on December 19, alleging that the decision was taken due to her absence from rehearsals despite her sporting achievements.

Since its circulation, the video has generated mixed reactions online. While some social media users praised the student for speaking out and described her actions as courageous, others argued that the public statement was unfair to the student who received the award, noting that she was also deserving and should not have been subjected to public scrutiny.

In response, the Old Girls’ Association of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya issued a statement acknowledging that both the squash player and the swimmer involved had brought honour and recognition to the school through their respective sporting achievements.

The association said it would request the school administration to intervene and conduct a fair, impartial and transparent inquiry into the matter before a panel of qualified sports experts, and that a report would be released once the inquiry is concluded.

Until then, the Old Girls’ Association urged all parties to refrain from sharing or circulating posts or statements that could negatively impact the students concerned or harm the reputation of the school.

The school administration has not yet issued a separate public response.