COLOMBO – National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka President Asanga Seneviratne has suffered a legal setback after the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court dismissed a petition he had filed against former Sri Lanka Rugby President Rizly Illyas under the Online Safety Act.
Seneviratne, who was elected President of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka in April 2026 for the 2026–2030 term, had invoked provisions of the Online Safety Act in proceedings against Illyas. His current position as NOCSL President is independently confirmed by the Olympic Council of Asia and the Association of National Olympic Committees.
According to a report published by the Sunday Times on October 11, the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court dismissed the petition following consideration of a preliminary objection raised on behalf of Illyas. The order was delivered on September 25, 2026.
The court examined the material placed before it, including supporting evidence, written submissions and the content relied upon by Seneviratne in seeking relief under the Online Safety Act.
The Sunday Times reported that, in applying Section 20 of the Act, the court found that the material before it did not establish that the statements complained of were false. The court also determined that the photographs and information at issue were not private in nature for the purposes of the Act and that the statements did not amount to prohibited statements under the legislation.
The court consequently upheld Illyas’s preliminary objection, dissolved the conditional order that had previously been issued and dismissed the petition and the relief sought by Seneviratne.
Rugby Governance Issues Raised in Proceedings
The proceedings also brought wider questions surrounding Sri Lankan rugby administration into focus.
According to the Sunday Times, Illyas’s submissions referred to material that he said was already in the public domain, including previous reports concerning a £50,000 World Rugby fine linked to allegedly forged player documentation and a reported Rs. 35 million debt associated with Sri Lanka Rugby during the period in which Seneviratne served as President.
These assertions formed part of Illyas’s defence and submissions. They were not separate findings by the Magistrate’s Court on the underlying allegations, and should not be interpreted as such.
Illyas also raised questions concerning Seneviratne’s nomination and subsequent elevation to the presidency of the National Olympic Committee, alleging that certain applicable requirements had not been complied with.
Again, the court’s ruling in the Online Safety Act proceedings did not determine the validity of Seneviratne’s NOCSL election or rule upon those broader allegations. The decision related specifically to the petition before the Magistrate’s Court and the threshold required under the Online Safety Act.
A Difficult Early Legal Setback for the NOCSL President
The ruling nevertheless represents a notable setback for Seneviratne during the opening months of his tenure at the helm of Sri Lanka’s Olympic movement.
Seneviratne was elected NOCSL President on April 25, securing 16 of 29 votes and succeeding Suresh Subramaniam. His term is expected to run until 2030.
The dismissal of his petition is therefore likely to attract attention beyond rugby, particularly at a time when governance, transparency and accountability within national sporting bodies remain under close public scrutiny.
The Morning Telegraph has also received information from sources familiar with ongoing disputes in the sporting administration sphere suggesting that this may not be the final legal challenge involving Seneviratne.
Those sources indicate that additional proceedings or challenges may be contemplated.
However, The Morning Telegraph has not independently verified any new court filings at the time of publication, and no assertion is made that any further case has already been instituted unless and until such proceedings can be confirmed through court records or the parties concerned.
Illyas Welcomes Court Outcome
Following the dismissal, Illyas said the outcome was significant because the court had considered the material before it and accepted the preliminary objection advanced by his legal team.
He also said his intention had been to raise issues of public interest and accountability within rugby administration and that such matters should be debated through facts and responsible public discussion.
Illyas was represented by Senior Counsel Thishya Weragoda together with Counsel Ruven Weerasinghe, Counsel Saman Ranchagoda and members of the wider legal team, according to the Sunday Times.
Accountability Questions Remain
The immediate legal issue before the Magistrate’s Court has now been resolved in Illyas’s favour, but the broader debate surrounding governance in Sri Lankan sport is unlikely to disappear with the dismissal of a single petition.
For the President of the National Olympic Committee, the ruling comes at a particularly sensitive time, given the prominence of the office he now holds and the level of accountability expected of those entrusted with administering Sri Lankan sport.
Any future proceedings, however, must be assessed independently on their own facts and evidence.
For now, what is established is limited but significant: Asanga Seneviratne’s Online Safety Act petition against Rizly Illyas was dismissed by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court, the conditional order against Illyas was dissolved, and the relief sought by Seneviratne was refused.
Source: Sunday Times, October 11, 2026.
