Racism will not be encouraged at Ruhuna University- VC
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Vice Chancellor of the University of Ruhuna Senior Proffessor Sujeeewa Amarasena
University of Ruhuna (UoR) Vice Chancellor (VC) Senior Prof Sujeewa Amarasena said he will not encourage racism or bring racism into sports or academic activities at the UoR.
He said that the UoR has over 9,000 internal and 20,000 external students and no racism has been reported to date. “The instigators will be dealt with severely, if it does take place,” he warned.
Prof Amarasena made these remarks at the closing ceremony of the 13th Sri Lanka University Games held at the Rabindranath Tagore Auditorium of the UoR last Saturday.
“We have had healthy competition, disputes and debates during the past 12 days, but it is sad that, at times, some problems are misinterpreted and institutions discredited.”
The incident refered to occurred in the17th minute of the finals of the Football tournament between the University of Jaffna (UoJ) and the University of Moratuwa (UoM) played at the Kotawila stadium, when a UoJ player, who was about to score a goal, ended up with a fractured leg, after being kicked by the UoM goalie. The goalie was shown the Red Card and a penalty awarded to the UoJ. It had taken about 15-20 min. for the referees to get the game restarted, but before the penalty could be taken it began to rain and further play was not possible on that day.
In keeping with the FIFA rules and technical guidelines of the tournament, the officials decided that the match should resume the next morning, from the point it ended. As the UoM team did not take the field the next morning, the officials very correctly awarded the match to the UoJ.
“The Sri Lanka University Sports Association (SLUSA) officials, at a meeting at which I was not present, had reversed this decision. I believe that the SLUSA should not have interfered in the decision made by the match officials and technical committee.”
Prof Amarasena said it was sad that a video put out by the UoJ students union, which is going viral on social media, blames the UoR for the incident.
“It is unfair to lay the blame on the UoR, because the UoR had no hand in reversing the match officials decision, which I believe was correct. I have instructed that the Football shield is not awarded today, until the dispute is resolved,” he added.
Text & Pic by P.D.De Silva