Former FSL honchos unite to revive football in Sri Lanka

by Susil Premalal

All parties have decided to unite to re-establish the football administration in Sri Lanka that has been banned by FIFA and to rebuild the sport in the country which has been inactive for almost a year.

This is the first time in the history of Sri Lankan football that such a union has been reported for football administration.

Accordingly, former Football Sri Lanka (FSL) presidents Umar Jaswar, Ranjith Rodrigo and Kalutara Football League President and FSL Vice President Dr Manil Fernando have come together and agreed to join hands for the development of football in this country.

Following a discussion held on July 29 at Baddegana Football Complex in Colombo with the participation of the President and Secretary of 63 out of 67 Football Leagues affiliated to FSL, all the League representatives unanimously accepted the unity of the former football authorities.

That Umar Jaswar, Ranjith Rodrigo and Dr. Manil Fernando jointly took the lead in it was also special.

"We will forget all the problems of the past and work together to raise the game of football," Jaswar, Rodrigo and Fernando said, giving a pledge in front of the football league representatives.

Meanwhile, following several rounds of discussions held by Ministry officials led by Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe with the FIFA and AFC authorities, the former football authorities in Sri Lanka have taken relevant steps as a result of FIFA's promise to lift the ban on football in Sri Lanka with conditions.

The FSL ban has not been removed by FIFA so far and Sri Lanka has been given the opportunity to play in the 2026 FIFA world cup qualification round matches only with conditions as one of the steps in the relevant discussion between the two parties.

According to the new constitution adopted by FSL in 2022, the FIFA main regulation is to hold the relevant official election before September 30, 2023.

The Ministry of Sports has also taken steps to register the new constitution of the troubled FSL and to appoint a three-member independent committee to conduct the football competition.

A FSL Special General Meeting (SGM) will be held on August 14 at Sri Lanka Foundation Institue, Colombo, Football League representatives to take some key decisions. 

Appointing an official election committee to conduct the FSL official election before September 30, 2023, selecting the football squad representing the FIFA (2026) World Cup qualification round and making necessary arrangements for appointing a pro license coach for the same will be the main points to be taken there.