A pall of gloom descended on the football fraternity when the news broke out that GAK Abeysekera - aka -‘Abey’ had passed away after a long illness bravely borne. His funeral took place last Saturday.
Abeysekera held sway in the football scene for well over four decades and there were no chairmen or football officials and footballers who did not know the likeable and helpful Abeysekera. What ‘Abey’ did not know of football in the local or international scene was not worth knowing.
Abeysekera was not only a goalkeeper of repute for Prisons and Government Services, but also in much demand by those contesting for posts during FFSL election time for his expertise and strategy in attracting votes.
Abeysekera gave all his time to see to the improvement of the player and administration and the many positions he held in the Government Services and the Football Federation was invaluable. He was Vice President FFSL, and really showed his talent and expertise when he was made General Secretary of the controlling body.
In the 1970s and ‘80s the king maker of football and presidents of the Football Federation was Superintendent of Police VK Arumugam who was secretary. When Arumugam put forward a candidate for any position, he was a sure winner.
Unable to watch Arumugam calling the shots all the time, there was Abeysekera and his good buddy JSN Anandaraja watching from the sidelines and planning ways and means of breaking this Arumugam dominance and introducing young and new blood into the FFSL who could do a job better than the best known.
After Dunstan de Alwis had served his term as President FFSL and when the post was vacant, Arumugam who was an Assistant Superintendent in the Police put forward former Benedictine soccerite and Deputy Inspector General of Police Herbert Weerasinghe to contest as president FFSL.
Stung to the quick, Anandaraja had a winner in mind and that was an Attorney Manilal Fernando who was doing wonders for the game in the Kalutara District and Football League. Manilal was only 29 and proposed for him to contest the presidency.
Arumugam’s candidates were not known to be losers. Along with young Fernando, Anandaraja and Abeysekera put in motion a strong and vigorous campaign, supported by Sam Vargheese, Chrysantha Perera and Colonel Kandiah to convince the voters that Fernando was the man of the future.
The writer too was in Fernando’s campaign team and remember going to as far as Jaffna to meet and convince Dr. Philips who was the livewire in Jaffna football. With the AGM time drawing near the atmosphere was electric with both Weerasinghe and Fernando confident that the race was going to be close.
But Arumugam did not bargain for the two master strategists Anandaraja and Abeysekera, two clever vote winning campaigners. When the voters were trekking in to the Government Services Sports Club at Parsons Road, there were police soccerites posted at the entrance threatening voters to vote for Weerasinghe.
When the voting commenced there was frenzied activity inside and when the votes were counted believe it or not Fernando had triumphed by five votes much to the dissapointment of Arumugam and the joy of Anandaraja and Abeysekera. And there were celebrations among Fernando’ s supporters that ended in the wee hours of the morning. Wasn't Fernando elated because he had moved a mountain.
This story is told to prove what strategists Anandaraja and Abeysekera were in the local football world who had it in them to make or break presidents. Both are now sadly no more in the land of the living. But they will always be remembered when football is discussed or spoken about.
Former Secretary of the FFSL Hafiz Marikar who the moment was elected to office always sought the advice of Abeysekera before committing and ‘Abey’ guided the young man to be one, if not the best secretary, to leave Football House.
But the man who misses Abeysekera most is former FFSL President Manilal Fernando who described ‘Abeya’ as a true and honest friend and that his likes would be hard to find.
Fernando attributes his phenomenal rise as FFSL President, Vice President, AFC and Executive Committee member and Legal Eagle of FIFA to Abeysekera and Anandaraja.
May Abeysekera attain Nibbana.
-ELMO RODRIGOPULLE