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| Wednesday, 28 July 2004 |
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Controversy over Pushpakumara crossing over to CR and FC by S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Correspondent The controversy over former Kandy Sports Club's winger Dhanushka Pushpakumara crossing over to the CR & FC has deepened with this player turning out for the Colombo Club without obtaining a letter of release from the Kandy Club. The Honorary Secretary of Kandy Sports Club Mahes Weerasinghe told this correspondent that Dhanushka Pushpakumara has a contractual obligations towards the Kandy Sports Club for the entire 2004 rugby season. He has played for Kandy SC in five of the seven matches played this season up to the time of his crossing over, on July 7th. Mahes Weerasinghe said that the Kandy Sports Club has looked after this player well from the time he left school by finding him employment and providing him with all other assistance including financial assistance which he declined to comment further as it would be an embarrassment to the player concerned. Then suddenly we get the news that he is attending practices with the CR & FC team. He just slipped out without even having the courtesy of informing that he is leaving the club which would have made matters more comfortable for the club and himself. In other words he left without even telling the mat he slept on. This is one reason for Kandy in refusing to give the letter of release for him. The Tournament Rule is quite clear that a letter of release must be obtained from his former club before representing another club by any player. The Secretary of the SLRFU Iswan Omar when contacted by this correspondent said that though the interpretation of the tournament rules states that a player must obtain a letter of release from his old club before playing for his new club but according to the Constitution Kandy Sports Club cannot arbitrarily withhold giving this letter. But the player concerned it would appear had given the assurance that he will play the entire season for his old club. Iswan Omar said since there was a deadlock, that Emergency Meeting of the SLRFU Committee was held in which all 14 members were present. This matter was discussed at length and since there were some inconsistencies between the Constitution of the SLRFU and the Tournament Rules, it was decided to seek legal advice. Accordingly the SLRFU wrote to CR & FC that since this matter had been referred to Attorney General's Department to withhold playing that player for ten days from 23rd July, 2004. But CR & FC disregarded this direction and played this player against CH & FC on 24th July, 2004 and lost the match. The report on this issue has come from the Attorney General's Department and it could have some adverse effect on both the player and the club concerned. The Council of the SLRFU is due to meet again on 30th July, 2004, to take further action against the Club and player concerned if they had violated the instructions of the SLRFU and its regulations, concluded Iswan Omar. |
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