A can of worms is likely to come forth when a probable government investigation into shady activities in rugby is opened, the Sunday Observer learns.
Former Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) president Rizly Illyas is likely to be in the thick of things as he is expected to submit a dossier to new Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya covering the period 2012 to 2020. Prime Minister Amarasuriya is also the current Sports Minister after Parliament was dissolved two days after Anura Kumara Dissanayake was elected President last week.
The period covers a time when Sri Lanka Rugby under the influence of political patronage fraudulently provided three Fijians with passports to represent the team at the Five Nations Asian tournament in 2014 that compelled World Rugby to impose a fine of 50,000 Pound Sterling after an investigation.
As SLR was unable to pay the fine, World Rugby cut it off from its annual budget allocation thereby disrupting development and the welfare of players in the island.
Illyas also inherited a debt of Rs.55 million from his predecessors and paid off Rs.20 million after he was elected SLR chief in 2020.
Sri Lanka Rugby was put under a government Committee this year following a squabble by officials in and out to stand for election and it now faces a ban by World Rugby if a new Constitution is not in place along with an elected body of officials by November.
