{"id":86375,"date":"2013-05-09T13:57:56","date_gmt":"2013-05-09T08:27:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=86375"},"modified":"2013-05-18T01:06:22","modified_gmt":"2013-05-17T19:36:22","slug":"assaulting-the-rugby-referee-it-was-a-misunderstanding-namal-rajapaksa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/assaulting-the-rugby-referee-it-was-a-misunderstanding-namal-rajapaksa\/","title":{"rendered":"Assaulting The Rugby Referee: ‘It Was A Misunderstanding’ – Namal Rajapaksa"},"content":{"rendered":"

Namal Rajapaksa MP today said his younger brother\u2019s attack to a Rugby referee ‘was a misunderstanding’. Namal Rajapaksa\u2019s response came as a reply to a tweet sent to him by another tweeter user Zaman Alfeoz. Zaman asked \u201c@RajapaksaNamal, did your younger brother Rohitha Rajapaksa attack the refree at 7 a side game\u2026 is it true?\u201d<\/p>\n

Presidential offspring Rohitha Rajapaksa assaulted Rugby referee Dimitri Gunasekera on May 05th<\/sup> at the Havelocks Grounds in Colombo after the Navy lost a qualifying match.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The incident took place when the Police A team defeated Navy knocking the latter out of the Inter-club Rugby sevens tournament organised by the\u00a0Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union.<\/p>\n

Rohitha Rajapaksa<\/a>, the youngest son of President\u00a0Mahinda Rajapaksa<\/a>\u00a0was captaining the Navy A team at today\u2019s game. His brother Yoshitha usually captains the team.<\/p>\n

Following the Navy defeat, Rohitha Rajapaksa picked up referee Gunesekera by the collar and assaulted him in full public view, eyewitnesses say. The attack on the referee only ceased when\u00a0Yoshitha Rajapaksa<\/a>intervened, even slapping his younger sibling when the latter refused to break up the altercation.<\/p>\n

With referees refusing to stand to protest against the assault, the tournament was suspended for over 45 minutes. Finally, following a meeting of high level officials with the referees the tournament resumed. Both Rohitha and Yoshitha Rajapaksa were seen regularly in discussions with the referees during the rest of the evening.<\/p>\n

The game of Rugby in the country has been severely politicised by the Rajapaksa family in recent years.<\/p>\n

President Mahinda Rajapaksa\u2019s second son Yoshitha is the captain of the Sri Lanka Rugby team and the Navy Sports club.<\/p>\n

Related posts;<\/p>\n

Censorship: Presidential Offspring \u2018Referee-Beater\u2019 Rohitha Rajapaksa On Buzz With Daily Mirror<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Presidential Offspring Rohitha Rajapaksa Assaulted Rugby Referee In Full Public View<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Senior Rugby Players Avoid National Team<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Sri Lanka To Ban Sportsmen Refusing To Represent Country<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Rugby Under Revised (Rajapaksa) Rules<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Appuhamy Regiment And The Recent Rugby Games<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I Went To A Fight And A Rugby Match Broke Out!<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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