It has been reported in the newspapers that the referees have decided to boycott rugby matches played by Wesley College after their supporters went berserk in their match against Royal College last week. This is highly uncalled for. The referees are well paid to do a job and this kind of attitude on their part is shirking responsibility.
In the past the referees boycotted matches and that was when they were doing an honorary job. Now the sponsor of the tournament have pumped in a lot of money to ensure the running of the tournament. This money is also used to pay the referees. Will the organizers of the tournament tell these referees to go if they cant and get down some foreign referees with the money that has been invested in the tournament?
Not a single player from Wesley College had anything to with the violence unleashed by their own supporters and those supporters of Royal College. The Wesley team played a clean and fair game as acknowledged and reported by the Press.
It is very unfair that the referees are now trying to pin the blame on the Wesley players. There is violence at rugby matches and match officials and tournament organizers should take measures and bring the situation under control ensuring the safety of everyone not just referees.
I think the first thing that some of these referees should do is to take a closer look at themselves and ask the question whether they have done a marvellous job to match up to the demands of today’s school rugby matches which are not traditional friendly matches anymore.
Why then are the referees boycotting matches played by Wesley. They are taking the easy way out and picking and choosing what matches to blow.
Cynthia Fernando
Colombo 5