Sri Lanka Rugby’s 2025 Presidential Election has descended into political scandal. Allegations of rigging, powerful family ties, and threats against journalists reveal how politics has hijacked the sport.
Sri Lanka Rugby, once celebrated as a gentleman’s game, now finds itself entangled in political intrigue. Tony Amit, the respected former President of the Sri Lanka Association of Rugby Football Referees, publicly condemned the upcoming Annual General Meeting and Elections set for 8 October 2025, calling it a “political shame.” He noted that in the 139-year history of rugby in Sri Lanka, the game had never before been reduced to such a disgraceful spectacle.
Amit’s frustration was prompted by The Morning Telegraph’s investigative article titled “Casus Omissus – The Rigging of SL Rugby’s Presidential Election.” When Amit shared the article in a WhatsApp group dedicated to rugby news and updates, the administrator swiftly deleted his post. The action sparked outrage, with many questioning whether even digital spaces discussing rugby are now controlled by political influence.
At the core of the controversy is former Sports Minister Harin Fernando, a sponsor of the WhatsApp group where the censorship occurred. His close ties to CR&FC’s presidential hopeful Pavithra “Pavi” Fernando are well-known. Both families share a deeply controversial history tied to the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, when 261 Christians were murdered and hundreds left maimed for life. That shadow still lingers, and their political connections now appear to bleed directly into the future of rugby administration.
Investigations by The Morning Telegraph allege that the election is being deliberately manipulated to hand Pavithra Fernando an unlawful advantage. This includes the inclusion of an unqualified candidate and the misinterpretation of rugby’s constitutional rules moves that undermine fair play and transform the election into a political battleground rather than a sporting contest.
Editor Under Threat – Again!
The cost of exposing these manipulations has been high. The Editor of The Morning Telegraph continues to face harassment and intimidation, with a steady stream of threatening WhatsApp calls and messages. Yet, despite the pressure, the news medium has refused to retreat. Instead, it vows to continue uncovering the political corruption that is tarnishing the integrity of Sri Lanka Rugby.
As Scripture reminds us:
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” – Isaiah 5:20
This warning, spoken centuries ago, echoes powerfully today. For when sport is corrupted by politics and truth-tellers are silenced with threats, it is not only the game that suffers, it is the very soul of a nation.
