The controversies surrounding Sri Lanka Rugby are no longer mere embarrassments, they are spiraling into a full-blown crisis that now threatens the very survival of the sport. If it isn’t schoolboy matches marred by referee scandals, it’s the chaos of the repeatedly postponed Annual General Meeting and Elections, or the dubious “interim” arrangement gazetted by the Minister of Sports and run through a Working Task Force. Now, matters have sunk even lower, with individuals who hold no official role in Sri Lanka Rugby sneaking their way into national team tours, as exposed during the ongoing Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series in China.
And while this circus continues, the sword of Damocles from World Rugby hangs heavy over Sri Lanka, with the prospect of an international ban looming larger by the day. The hopes that Minister of Sports Sunil Kumara Gamage would restore order have quickly disintegrated. Instead, he too appears to have been sucked into the swamp, manipulated by a clique of powerbrokers and past players, men who refuse to let go of control, violating policy, bypassing procedure, and treating the game as their personal fiefdom.
The Smoking Gun: Marikkar’s Email Confession
The rot was laid bare in Imthie Marikkar’s now-infamous email confession to WTF Chairman M.R. Latiff, where he admitted openly that he was in his post only because of Minister Gamage, NSC Chairman Priyantha Ekanayake, Asia Rugby’s Asanga Seneviratne, and NSC Committee Member Rohan Abeykoon. In one line, Marikkar confirmed what many long suspected: Sri Lanka Rugby is no longer being run by its appointed Working Task Force but by a cabal of insiders pulling strings behind closed doors.
The proof is overwhelming. The WTF struck Marikkar and New Zealand coach Rodney Gibbs off the official list of tour officials before submitting it to the Ministry of Sports for approval. The Morning Telegraph is in possession of the endorsed document and their names are nowhere to be found. Yet, in a shocking turn, Gibbs appeared in official team photographs before the squads left for China, raising immediate alarm bells.
How did this happen? Under whose authority was Gibbs inserted back into the mix? And who signed off on government funds being used for his airfare, allowances, and tour benefits, despite the WTF refusing to issue him a contract?
The Minister in the Palm of Ekanayake
The scandal points to one thing: Minister Gamage has become little more than a puppet in the palm of Priyantha Ekanayake. Just as Roshan Ranasinghe was destroyed by listening to his NSC Chairman Arjuna Ranatunga, Gamage too appears headed for the exit, undone by the disastrous advice of his own appointee.
And in the background, the ever-present Asanga Seneviratne continues to lurk, addicted to the intoxicating thrill of control. His influence, combined with Ekanayake’s grip on the Minister, has ensured that even individuals struck off by the WTF can still board planes, pose in photographs, and operate as if Sri Lanka Rugby is their personal playground.
A Sport Held Hostage
The consequences are catastrophic. Rugby in Sri Lanka is not just a pastime; it is the livelihood for players, coaches, clubs, officials, sponsors, media, and fans. For five long years, this sport has suffered under power-hungry individuals whose addiction to control is likened by many to a narcotic. They cannot — or will not — let go. And now, their meddling risks plunging the game into international isolation under a ban from World Rugby.
As for Marikkar and Gibbs, their positions are indefensible. Both may soon have to face the music for their violations — legal, financial, and administrative. But this scandal is bigger than two names. It is about whether Sri Lanka Rugby can survive the toxic grip of a few men who have run it into the ground.
The President Must Act
At this stage, only President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) has the authority to save the game. Either he intervenes, cleans house, and removes the manipulators, starting with Priyantha Ekanayake or rugby in Sri Lanka will collapse under the weight of corruption, cronyism, and international disgrace.
The message from the rugby fraternity is loud and clear: heads must roll and fast. Anything less will doom the sport forever.
Unanswered Questions: The Gibbs–Marikkar Scandal
The Morning Telegraph highlights the glaring questions still unanswered in the wake of Rodney Gibbs’ and Imthie Marikkar’s unauthorized inclusion on Sri Lanka Rugby’s Sevens tour to China:
- Visa Status
- Under what type of visa did Rodney Gibbs enter Sri Lanka?
- If on a tourist visa, is he illegally working as a coach?
- Contract & Approval
- Was a formal contract ever signed for Gibbs?
- If not, who authorized him to sit with the national teams in official photos?
- Why did the Sports Ministry allow travel despite the WTF striking off his name?
- Payments & Funding
- Who is paying Gibbs’ salary, the Ministry, SLR, or a third party?
- Is he being paid in USD or LKR?
- How were his airfares and allowances approved if no contract exists?
- Accountability
- By whose directive did Gibbs and Marikkar travel with the team?
- Was government money misused to fund this tour for individuals not officially attached to SLR?
- Why has the WTF been kept in the dark?
Until these questions are answered, the Gibbs–Marikkar scandal remains a ticking time bomb that could trigger legal, financial, and international consequences for Sri Lanka Rugby.
