‘Phoenix-like rise from the Ashes’
SLR President Rizly Illyas buoyed after meeting Sports Ministry officials
Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) president Rizly Illyas is gung-ho about the sport rising “Phoenix-like from the Ashes” during the COVID-19 pandemic after what he described as a “productive” meeting with Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa and leading Sports Ministry officials.
A former national rugby captain, Rajapaksa has impressed on SLR officials the need to restructure the administration of sport in the country with professional management of players by forming an elite pool and conducting a franchise-based Super Sevens Tournament like the Carlton Super Sevens to generate revenue.
SLR hopes to restart the Covid-delayed season by holding a couple of Inter-Club Sevens tournaments in Galle and Kandy in January.
“The (SLR) council has the responsibility of getting back to rugby and are now discussing this matter with all concerned authorities to kick-start it mid or end January in Galle and Kandy. If we achieve this by end-January, our council will be the Phoenix rising from the Ashes,” declared Illyas, who was enamoured by the leadership given by Rajapaksa to resurrect sports in the country.
“We were given a 56-minute meeting initially but when we were done it was two hours. We are lucky to work with the Honourable Minister Namal Rajapaksa. When we prepared for the AGM (annual general meeting) we were not thinking of who would be the sports minister but now we are glad that we have an intelligent and a progressive minister. He does not mince words and is result oriented and has short and long-term goals to win medals at Asian level,” he said.
This was followed with a meeting with Sports Ministry Director-General Amal Edirisooriya and Secretary M.M.P.K. Mayadunne with SLR secretary Jude Pillai and Consultant Kevin Herft.
“We were delighted to have knowledge of the insights of what they had to tell us about the ministry and how we could utilise the district sports directors to develop the game. Immediate attention was drawn to the Nawalapitiya grounds and the Diyagama grounds for SLR. The meeting was very productive and we are glad that together with the minister, secretary and DG, all sports in the country especially rugby football, would be in a better place going forward,” said Illyas brimming with optimism.
“As the president of SLR and with the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s an adjustment and a steep learning curve at the highest position in rugby for me. As I see it, the SLR will have to step up to do something that has not been seen in 140 years of rugby history in Sri Lanka. My committee and I will not talk about past laurels and failures. We will step up to deliver a better bubble on rugby for the future,” declared Illyas, who was elected president in August but declared SLR’s first 100-day challenge will begin on January 1, 2021.
“I really want to put the sword to the task. Only then will we know the cutting edge of the challenges, changes and deliverables,” said the former Petersons number 8.
“Just because there is COVID-19, we can’t just sit and do nothing. We must change the mindset of people including sponsors. He (Rajapaksa) has passion, vision and we have confidence he will work towards achieving this goal. If it is not achieved, then sports associations like SLR have failed. That is the challenge we have now,” said Illyas.
“We have the minister who has given us and showed us the path. Every path is not easy. There are ups and downs. But the SLR as a unit has to formulate ideas. We need to bring about other sponsors into the system. We have a lot of properties with us such as 15s, 7s, Under-24, Under-21, women’s and provincial rugby tournaments. We have to market it and make revenue out of these. This has not been thought of in depth before,” he pointed out.
He also lashed out at sponsors for not propping them up during difficult times.
“When the Covid came everybody stopped their funding. No rugby means no funding. None of our sponsor companies are looking at how our administrative costs are being managed. There are ethical values in sponsorship. We are not a profit-making organisation. We run it as a sports body and to bring honour to the country. The sad situation is when we have so many good values of working with sponsors for so many years, all of a sudden when a disaster like this happens they completely stopped. Our administrative costs are built into the properties that we sell to the sponsor,” lamented Illyas.
“Rugby has been a top sport to some of the top sponsors who have been with us. They have given value and we have given the same back to them. I was personally disheartened when on that value base, they didn’t consider giving administrative costs even up to December,” said Illyas, who revealed that Asia Rugby president Qais Al Dhalal bailed them out with a grant.