SLR responds to “Provincial Rugby Unions condemn unlawful attempt to amend Sri Lanka Rugby Constitution”

Right of Reply 

Sri Lanka Rugby Executive Director Chula Ariyaratne has sent the following statement in response to the article titled “Provincial Rugby Unions condemn unlawful attempt to amend Sri Lanka Rugby Constitution” published in the Weekend FT on Saturday.

We refer to the article published in the Daily FT under the above heading and wish to clarify the facts so that the rugby-loving public has a complete and accurate understanding of the matter. Trust the same publicity will extended to our response. 

The Sports Minister, acting under the powers vested in him by the Sports Law and the relevant Gazette notification, appointed the Working Task Force to implement the new Sri Lanka Rugby Constitution. This Constitution was reviewed, endorsed, and approved by World Rugby and by all domestic stakeholders after an extensive and inclusive process.

It is important to note that in CA/Writ/438/2024, filed by Roshan Deen of the Western Province Rugby Football Union, the Court of Appeal—presided over by Justice Laffer—emphasised the critical national interest in adopting the new Constitution. The Court observed:

“In this context, the Court is mindful of the national interest at stake in the present situation. The letter issued by World Rugby, dated 12/05/2025, indicates that failure to amend the Constitution of Sri Lanka Rugby on or before 23/05/2025 would lead to Sri Lanka’s suspension from international rugby. Such a consequence would be detrimental not only to the sport but also to the country’s reputation and prospects on the global stage. Therefore, in view of the broader public interest and the necessity to preserve Sri Lanka’s standing in international rugby, this Court accepts that the withdrawal of the undertaking by the Respondents, albeit a deviation from the earlier position, is justified under the circumstances. The urgency and gravity of the potential suspension provide sufficient basis for allowing the constitutional amendments to proceed, in accordance with the requirements set out by World Rugby.”

This judicial recognition underscores the urgency, legitimacy, and necessity of implementing the new Constitution as directed by World Rugby.

Under the previous governance model, voting rights were often influenced by entities that did not meet constitutional criteria for full membership. In some provinces, inactive or noncompliant entities were recognised as clubs, distorting governance outcomes. The new Constitution corrects these imbalances by:

• Granting six votes to each A Division club.

• Allocating two votes to each province, ensuring balanced national representation.

• Allowing any full member club, that has competed in an official 15aside or 7aside SLRsanctioned tournament and meets all membership requirements, to receive one vote.

This ensures that voting rights are linked to genuine participation and contribution to the sport, not to nominal or inactive entities.

The seven provincial unions opposing these reforms have not registered under the new Constitution and therefore are not currently recognised members of SLR. Their multiple legal challenges have not prevented the Working Task Force from carrying out its lawful mandate. The Special General Meeting (SGM) was successfully held on 28 July to elect the Election Committee, and the Annual General Meeting (AGM) is scheduled for 9 September, with notices issued to all duly registered members on 30 July.

Sri Lanka Rugby remains fully committed to transparent governance, equitable representation, and genuine development at all levels, in line with international standards and the directives of World Rugby.