Defending Champions of the Inter-School Knock-out trophy Isipathana College have announced that they will not participate in this year’s Milo Presidents Trophy.
Despite a track record of having participated in virtually all tournaments in all formats in the past, the school has decided to take a stand due to the loss of confidence and faith in the schools rugby section.
It is said that the Principal of Isipathana College has taken this decision citing the biased and unjust treatment dished out to the school by the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Union. A statement made by the school illustrates that the SLSRFU are acting on their own whims and fancies and are not adhering to protocol established by themselves and contained in the official rule book.
The withdrawal is subsequent to an official protest (in writing) being lodged with the SLSRFU against the decision of the Royal versus Isipathana match taken by the union during its hearing. With two weeks having passed since the official complaint, the protest gained steam with the union failing to respond to the matter let alone acknowledging the receipt of the official complaint.
The Royal versus Isipathana game saw the official score being changed by the SLSRFU deeming it a 20 all draw despite the Referee having awarded the win to Isipathana at 27-20. The match was stopped midway through the 2nd half after the players of Royal College walked off the playing field. Isipathana Rugby authorities point out that the SLSRFU official rule book stipulates a result cannot be changed under any circumstance.
Reports state that Mr. Jonathan Kaplan, world renowned referee in his recent visit to Sri Lanka responding to a query posed during a press conference mentioned that a final score cannot be reversed under any circumstances.
Isipathana Rugby authorities state they find the situation bemusing as to why no action has been taken by the union against the Royal team walking off the playing field during the game, which consequentially is against the SLSRFU’s rule book. “The SLSRFU’s stand has not been justified by them and it is disrespectful to the referees as well” state the representatives.
These reasons put forward by the school’s authorities were explicitly included in the letter addressed to the union but the governing body has not responded to the same. ‘This is the main reason behind Isipathana’s decision to withdraw from the competition as due courtesy is not being extended to the school. Considering the vigor of which the SLSRFU viewed the video submitted by Royal College and arrived at a verdict within a week, which also happened to contradict their own rules, is a clear benchmark of the unfair approach to the schools request’ state the Rugby representatives.
The absence of isipathana will surely take some flash away from the competition which was won by them in the previous year in an epic encounter against Trinity which was one of the best clashes of the season. Isipathana is also the team to have won this competition the most number of times as well as reaching the finals on most number of occasions, iterating the School’s rugby legacy of past.
