Srinarth Sooriyabanda
By Shamseer Jaleel
Sri Lankan Sevens Rugby players have been left in the lurch with their tour to China for the Asian Games in major doubt as the required funding, of Rs. 20 million, has not been released by the Ministry of Sports.
Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) had already written to the Secretary of the Ministry of Sports K. Mahesan with the detailed costs for the
15-member squad.
The Sri Lankan outfit is expected to field 12 players plus three officials, who have already been named for the tour, which will come under National Olympic Committee (NOC) watchful eyes. Since Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) is suspended and await World Rugby’s (WR) final decision no sponsor has come forward to prop up with the oval shaped ball outfit for the shorter version of the game. Meanwhile, two players have said they would be unavailable for the tour.Chathura Seneviratne and Srinarth Sooriyabanda have written on their unavailability, with Sooriyabandara tied up with the St. Anthony’s College Kandy head coaching and they are expected to lock horns in the knock-out rugby which is expected to go on till mid September while Seneviratne is expected to join his wife in England for studies.
If these two players do pull out, the National Selections Committee under Sudath Sampath will have to call up two players from the standby list.
