All our home matches will be played only at Nittawela: Mahesh Weerasinghe

By Shamseer Jaleel

Kandy Sports Club has issued a firm and detailed response to the recent Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) press release concerning the controversial Kandy SC vs CH & FC Inter-Club League fixture, strongly rejecting allegations of misconduct by its supporters and reaffirming its commitment to player and official safety. The letter has been sent by President, Kandy SC, Mahesh Weerasinghe, as below.

In a statement released, Weerasinghe categorically denied claims that any match official was assaulted or physically harmed during or after the match. The club stressed that all referees and visiting players were safely escorted to their dressing rooms immediately after the final whistle, under the direct supervision of club officials. The on-field referee, Gihan Yatawara, was taken to the dressing room soon after the final whistle by Kandy Team Manager Kapila Silva and Secretary Sujeewa Liyanage, along with other security officials.

Kandy SC acknowledged the visible frustration among spectators over what it described as biased and incompetent refereeing but emphasised that supporters exercised restraint despite provocation. The club stated that this discipline must be recognised, especially given the tense circumstances surrounding the fixture.

The statement further highlighted a post-match incident involving one of the support staff of CH & FC, a former Kandy SC, CH and national player who allegedly had a brawl with a spectator. According to Kandy SC, it was only due to the intervention of club officials that the situation was prevented from escalating further, underlining the club’s proactive role in maintaining order.

Kandy SC questioned Sri Lanka Rugby’s assertion that the particular individual was not an official of CH & FC, citing Sri Lanka Rugby’s own social media posts identifying him as the club’s trainer. The club stressed that whether formally registered or not, his conduct while acting in an official capacity cannot be ignored. Weerasinghe also questioned in his email to Sri Lanka Rugby why the action taken against the referee whose biased decisions took the game to a low level still remains unanswered. 

Importantly, Kandy SC reiterated that it does not condone hooliganism in any form. As Sri Lanka’s only truly outstation-based elite rugby club, Kandy SC emphasised the importance of protecting rugby beyond Colombo. The club noted that fair officiating and equal treatment are vital to sustaining rugby’s growth in the regions, where passion for the game runs deep.

Reaffirming its commitment to safety, Kandy SC confirmed it will continue to enhance security arrangements for all future home games at Nittawela. However, Weerasinghe made it clear that all future home matches will be played exclusively at Nittawela Ground, in front of its supporters, which is the largest base among the clubs in the country, reinforcing the principle that player, official, and spectator safety will be upheld without compromising.