Sri Lanka Rugby faces the threat of an imminent ban from World Rugby on 19th of October if it fails to hold elections for office bearers and implement a new Constitution in line with international requirements.
World Rugby, which has granted Sri Lanka repeated grace periods over the past year to resolve its internal disputes, has now issued a final warning in a letter addressed to the National Olympic Committee.
Although elections were originally scheduled for 9th of September and later postponed to 8th of October World Rugby has made it clear that no further delays will be accepted. However, with just a week left, another court case is reportedly in progress that could disrupt the election and worsen the crisis.
The battle for control of Sri Lanka Rugby has been dominated by two rival factions led by Pavitra Fernando and Lasitha Gunaratne. Fernando’s team is said to have already secured key posts, including deputy president (Shanitha Fernando), vice president (Chintaka Perera), and secretary (Subash Jayatilleke).
Since the departure of the last elected president, Rizly Illyas, the sport’s administration has been paralysed by legal disputes, delaying both a new Constitution and fresh elections. For nearly two years, Sri Lanka Rugby was overseen by a government-appointed Competent Authority, which was later replaced by a Working Task Force.
Meanwhile, government officials have also been accused of attempting to influence the outcome of the upcoming elections, further complicating the situation.
