The Sunday Observer’s revelations of violence in schools rugby is very shocking and more shocking that nothing had been done to control the situation over the past five years.
It seems everyone was preoccupied with personal and business matters that nothing could have been done to stem the flow of violence as schoolboys have been exploited by their very own schools for reasons that are not specified.
Why was it allowed to go on for so long as the authorities turned a blind eye. I am not a rugby fan but even the most ardent of rugby followers will be alarmed that so much of mayhem and violence was allowed to take place. Is violence part of the Culture that some people in this country can only boast about?
Is this the latest trend in this circle of progress with regard to sport especially rugby in the country? Sri Lanka must be the only country in the world where schoolboys and their supporters indulge in violence during and after a match as has been reported in the papers.
Where are the powers that be and were they asleep or did not want to do anything fearing that they could lose out on the benefits they get from rugby by being on the sidelines.
Like your report said last week if playing for tournaments is the root cause of violence, then put a stop to the sale of schoolboys at these tournaments. Schoolboys go to school to study and sport is secondary. You cannot help a boy to display his talents by creating for him a violent and barbaric environment especially at a learning stage of his career.
Violence in school sports was unheard of in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. The people in this country have become victims of their own progress merely because the people running the affairs of sport are lost and don’t know how to match progress and development with present day demands. We are experiencing this situation from top to bottom in all aspects of life in the country.
Anthony Subramanium
Kotahena