Consequent to previous reports of the referees calling for a boycott from refereeing the Dialog Club Rugby season due to threats and allegations leveled at them, a meeting was held between the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) and the rugby referees.
ThePapare.com spoke with rugby referee Dinka Peiris who articulated on behalf of the referees. “It was a very productive meeting with the SLRFU and we are pleased that they will fulfill the objectives that we requested.”
Previously the Interim Committee chairman of the Sri Lanka Rugby Referee Association (SLRRA) Mr. Chula Dharmadasa had also submitted his resignation to SLRFU on this matter. At the meeting the referees have requested to bring back Mr. Dharmadasa to run the show and to work along the other seven Chief Match Officials (CMO).
Mr. Nalin De Silva the Hony. Secretary of SLRFU stated that the meeting had cleared many doubts.
If Mr. Dharmadasa not willing to take on the post, referees had requested an interim committee and atleast 3 CMO’s to take in charge at SLRRA. Furthermore, referees had also requested the SLRFU to appoint two persons to monitor the CMO’s.
The referees also reflected on the issues of bringing in foreign referees and requested the SLRFU to continue to use local referees to officiate more games in the second round and bring- in foreign referees only for crucial games so the local referees get all the exposure they need. The SLRFU was requested to make certain that these foreign referees be more qualified and experienced than the local referees which will facilitate a genuine learning process for the local referees
