“As Royal and S. Thomas’ dive into their annual water polo clash on the 27th of September 2025, the seniors will compete for the proud Dr. R.L Hayman Trophy, but the juniors are stuck with the disgraced Mahinda Liyanage Trophy, a prize so tainted that many say it’s a trophy worth losing.”
On 27 September 2025, one of Sri Lanka’s most prestigious school rivalries returns to the pool. Royal College and S. Thomas’ College will clash once more in their annual water polo encounter a tradition stretching back decades. The senior sides will compete for the revered Dr. R.L. Hayman Trophy, a prize rich with history and honour.
But for the junior teams, the occasion is tainted. Their prize is the Mahinda Liyanage Trophy, a name now stained with scandal, corruption, and disgrace. To many, this is not a trophy worth winning but one better lost, for there is no joy in lifting a cup that celebrates a man so reviled.
A Legacy of Scandal
Mahinda Liyanage, once a prominent figure in Sri Lanka’s aquatic sports, has left behind a trail of misconduct.
- In 2018, he was banned from holding office in the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) after repeatedly breaching Sports Law Act No. 25 of 1973.
- On 11 December 2018, the Ministry of Sports removed him and others from office, and a one-year ban followed in February 2019, barring him from any involvement in national sports bodies.
- Defying the ban, he deceptively registered as “M. Liyanage” to infiltrate the 13th South Asian Games in Nepal, until he was caught and recalled by the Director General of Sports.
Evidence also ties him to a network of corrupt allies: Maxwell de Silva, the now-suspended Secretary General of the NOCSL, and officials from the National Triathlon Federation, who shielded him from accountability. Even Major General (Rtd) Dampath Fernando, Chef de Mission for the SAG, turned a blind eye.
Violence in the Pool
Liyanage’s disgrace is not limited to administration. In 2014, as swimming coach of S. Thomas’ College, he physically assaulted a fellow Thomian staff member named Kumara during a meet at the Sugathadasa Stadium. Witnesses described the assault as “ruthless and brutal,” leaving the victim battered before stunned spectators. Police were summoned; Liyanage fled, only to later face questioning.
That a man with such a record still has his name engraved on a trophy contested by schoolchildren is, quite simply, shameful.
From Honour to Embarrassment
While the Hayman Trophy remains a proud symbol of the senior encounter, the junior event drags on in dishonour. What began as a well-intentioned tradition in 1998 has now become a public relations disaster. Players, parents, and alumni alike question how two schools of such repute can continue to endorse a trophy bearing Liyanage’s disgraced name.
As one critic noted, the Under-15s may in fact be “battling to lose”, since victory means raising a symbol of corruption, not glory.
“A Trophy Worth Losing”
“For the juniors, victory brings no pride. Who would want to raise a trophy named after a man disgraced by corruption and scandal? Better to lose with honour than to win with shame.”
The Demands
Alumni and stakeholders are united in their demands:
- Immediate renaming of the Mahinda Liyanage Trophy.
- A lifetime ban on Liyanage from any sports involvement.
- Criminal action under the Penal Code and recovery of costs incurred by his misconduct.
- Sanctions against those who shielded him, including Ministry officials and corrupt allies.
This is no longer about oversight. It is about the ethical backbone of two of Sri Lanka’s most respected schools.
A Test of Integrity
As the Royal–Thomian rivalry roars once more, the senior teams will compete with pride for the Hayman Trophy. The juniors, however, are condemned to a hollow battle for a tainted prize.
Until both schools act to erase Mahinda Liyanage’s name from their tradition, every junior clash will remain a reminder of corruption tolerated and honour forgotten.
The question now is simple: will Royal and S. Thomas’ protect their legacy, or will they continue to play for shame?
