Peiris said that his priority is to develop match officials with the assistance of the seniors while handing over the Chairmanship of Training, Development and Education to the most experienced Dilroy Fernando.
Under his leadership, the General Committee has appointed other seniors to various positions as support staff with Vimal Perera heading the Review Committee, Anil Jayasinghe as Coach of Match Officials and Tony Amit to head the Assignment Committee.
In addition, Nizam Jamaldeen and Shamrath Fernando were given the task of heading the Sponsorship Committee.
Meanwhile, Rohan Fernando will head the Strength and Conditioning Committee along with Nilco Bandara.
SLSRFR President, Peiris said that a two-day workshop to make a vision plan ‘to be the best we can be’ was held successfully.
Day-one of the workshop was held for the General Committee, Coach of Match Officials. Day-two was held for the selected Match Officials and General Committee with the Coach of Match Officials also joining in.
The target was to develop a blueprint for the SLSRFR, a short term and a long term goal plan based on strengths and weaknesses.
The workshop was facilitated by the Chairmanship of Training, Development and Education Dilroy Fernando.
The structure and the vision plan was presented to SLR by President Peiris at two Council Meetings, the Council approved it and was circulated to the clubs/provinces by SLR in notifying them as to what are the Match Officials’ development plans and their targets to achieve.
Under the short term plan there will be six quality referees by the end of 2021 and they will be able to handle any ‘A’ Division school or club fixture.
In the long term plan there will be a minimum of two referees in the Asia Rugby top panel and to have a minimum of four in the Asia Rugby Emerging Panel by the end of 2023.
In line with the vision plan, the first hurdle was to select the ‘A’ panel of nine match officials.
The General Committee followed the formal steps in selection and named Priyantha Gunarathne, Aaqil Jamaldeen, Hasantha Weranga, Ishanka Abeyakoon, Dilum Deeshana, Ravin Alexander, Kelum Sandaruwan, Gihan Yatawara and Isuru Perera as the current most potential match officials who will reach the targets in both short and long term.
The second in line was to have the Emerging Panel and a ‘B’ Panel with eight and 12 match officials respectively.
Selection for this panel will be done as per the criteria laid by the General Committee. The Emerging Panel and the ‘B’ Panel will be observed as they throw the challenge to the ‘A’ Panel match officials.
In mid-August the ‘C’ Panel will start and the selection has not been completed as yet. Nizam Jamaldeen, Tony Amit and Shamrath Fernando will head the ‘C’ Panel.
Meanwhile, the General Committee has nominated Pradeep Wilson, Brigadier Upali Kotuwagedara, Major Aruna Waduge, Madhawa Wijesiri, Denzil Darling and Y. M. S. Rathnayake to undergo the World Rugby Citing Course conducted by the ARFU.