Paying the price for sins of others

By The Touch Judge

Allegations have recently surfaced on social media regarding the abuse of a 14-year-old rugby player by several senior members of a leading Colombo school’s rugby team during a coaching camp held in Madu, Mannar district. According to reports, the victim resisted inappropriate advances by senior players, after which he was assaulted, sustaining injuries to his head, neck, and chest that required hospital treatment. The incident reportedly took place on 22 April 2025, during a training camp for the school’s senior rugby team.

The victim’s parents promptly reported the incident to the school authorities. However, they allege that the school delayed taking meaningful disciplinary action, indicating the matter would be addressed only after the ongoing schools’ rugby knockout tournament. Following widespread public criticism and social media exposure, the school announced its withdrawal from the Under-19 President’s Trophy Knockout Rugby Tournament, in which the team had already qualified for the quarter-finals. Some family members of the victim, however, described the withdrawal as a superficial measure intended to deflect attention from the incident rather than a genuine effort to address the issue.

The school in question has a strong rugby legacy, having won multiple trophies in recent years. Some alumni and parents criticised the school’s response, arguing that only the players involved should be suspended and replaced, rather than penalising the entire team by withdrawing from the tournament. It also emerged that at least one senior player had been recruited from another school specifically to play rugby.

The victim’s family has also lodged a complaint with the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), which is now conducting an investigation. Six members of the under-19 rugby team, including the captain and vice-captain, are known to have been questioned by the NCPA’s Special Police Investigation Unit in connection with the alleged abuse. The accused students have been summoned to appear before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court on 15 May 2025, after failing to provide statements to the NCPA.

There are claims from some parents that similar incidents have occurred within the team since 2022, but no action was taken due to the reluctance of influential coaching staff and sponsors to discipline players, fearing it could weaken the team’s competitive chances. Observers have noted a decline in team discipline, attributing it to the practice of recruiting players from other schools in pursuit of victory at any cost, which has also deprived long-standing students of opportunities to represent their school at the senior level.

This incident echoes previous cases of ragging and abuse in Sri Lankan schools and universities, some of which have resulted in tragic outcomes such as student suicides.

Key questions remain:

• How was a 14-year-old allowed to participate in a camp with senior players?
• Did the coaching staff and school authorities investigate the disciplinary records of players recruited from other schools?
• What level of supervision was exercised during these activities?
• Why did the coaching staff and school authorities deprive longstanding students who have been regularly attending practices from representing the team in place of the accused player? 

These issues underscore the need for a thorough and transparent investigation by the school authorities and relevant State agencies to ensure accountability and prevent recurrence.