Underwater games some girls play
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Gamini Lokuge, Indra de Silva
and Roshan Gonnethilekel |
By Dilrukshi Handunnetti
With incriminating medical proof that young
water polo players from a leading Colombo
school were physically harassed by the Sri
Lanka Air Force (SLAF) women's team, the
reasons for delaying the completion of
inquiries despite evidence remains a
mystery.
Eleven water polo players of Visakha
Vidyalaya Colombo on November 14, 2008 wrote
to the school administration complaining
that they were subjected to physical
harassment during the National Water Polo
Games held on November 13, 2008 at the
Sugathadasa Stadium.
The complaint, written just the day after
the event, highlighted that even though the
younger team lost the game to the SLAF
women, the team wished the officials to take
necessary action.
It is learned that when informed of the
incident, Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge
dispatched a team of doctors to medially
inspect the children. Eventually when the
final inspection was carried out, five of
the players bore evidence of physical
harassment.
Foul play
In the wake of foul play coupled with
physical abuse, on November 18, 2008,
Principal Visakha Vidyalaya, Bimba Maheshi
Weerasuriya complained in writing to the Sri
Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) placing
on record that the conduct of some members
of the opposing team was not in the proper
sporting spirit.
"As you are aware, in the first quarter of
the match, our team was leading 3-1. At this
point some members of the Air Force team
became violent and started physically
abusing our team. Two of our team members
were badly bitten and scratched badly and
this was brought to the notice of the
officials by our coach during the match."
The letter added that suitable medical
officials be present at this type of event
so that any such occurrence could be
referred to immediately - indeed a
suggestion that the Sports Ministry and the
sports body should give full consideration
to given the rate at which these incidents
appear to occur.
"We strongly object to this behaviour which
is not in keeping with the sportsmanship
that we should foster in this type of event.
Please take suitable action to ensure that
this type of abuse will not happen in the
future," the letter concluded.
Extent of physical abuse
This letter was also copied to the SLAF
Commander Roshan Goonethileke and to Sports
Minister Gamini Lokuge.
The extent of physical abuse suffered by the
young players was recorded in a final
medical inspection report bearing the date
November 19, 2008. The report addressed to
Director General,
Institute of
Sports Medicine,
Colombo 7 was prepared by Dr. Shiromi
Pilapitiya.
The examination findings concluded that five
of the players had been subjected to
physical abuse.
The report mentioned lacerations on breasts
in different sizes, bite marks on the upper
arm, scratching of the neck by finger nails
leaving laceration marks that would take
days to heal, having breasts pricked,
scratched, squeezed and even pulled.
"All the examination findings reveal that
lacerations were inflicted by finger nails,"
the report concluded.
Following the findings, Minister Lokuge
appointed a one man inquiry headed by former
IGP Indra de Silva, but two months after the
incident, a report pinning responsibility on
the wrongdoers is not yet made available.
According to Minister Lokuge, the reason for
delayed action is the lack of response by
the school authorities. He pledges
commitment to bring the wrongdoers to book
and even take drastic decisions that may
impact on their sporting careers.
"I understand this is much more than mere
foul play, if it happened. But the schools
must come forward and record statements. An
inquiry cannot be based only on medical
evidence," he said.
FINA rules
While experts on swimming and water polo
insist that it is required for foul play to
be brought to the notice of the referee
within 30 minutes, what should not be lost
sight of is the medical report already made
available to SLASU.
"We could disqualify, demand the shield be
returned, impose penalties or suspend
players. But the affected parties must come
forward first and help us prepare a final
report," says Minister Lokuge.
Even if there was some measure of foul play,
what the sports body and the Ministry should
take into account is the possible commission
of a criminal offence that is punishable by
law with imprisonment of either description
for one year, a fine or with both.
In the meantime, SLAF Spokesperson, Janaka
Nanayakkara claims that the SLAF had
conducted internal inquiries but in order to
take action against anyone, a report has to
be submitted by SLASU complete with
recommended action.
"That has not yet been done. We have nothing
to hide," Nanayakkara said.
What is all the more important is not just
to consider the problem as one uniquely
experienced by a single school team. It is
not so.
A previous instance is recorded here in a
separate box to prove that the players of
Bishop's College too had suffered the same
fate, that too against the SLAF women
players. It legitimately gives rise to the
question whether the SLAF women are
sportswomen or a brute force waiting to
unleash their venom on unsuspecting school
children who have nevertheless risen to
national level sports.
It is reliably learned that a minister's
grand daughter too was subjected to physical
harassment and in another instance, the
great grand daughter of a powerful
politician was utterly shocked by what
happened that her father personally handed
over a letter of protest demanding an
inquiry to the former SLASU interim
committee.
Boycott
The situation is such,
Ladies
College last year refused to participate in
the event, and this decision soon might be a
common decision if the abuse continues.
This is why it is imperative to conduct a
speedy inquiry and punish the culprits
before more sportswomen feel discouraged and
driven out of their sport.
Indeed it is necessary that the school
administrations also cooperate, given the
fact that only their proactive role could
ensure the possibility of taking action
against violators of sports rules and the
country's Penal Code.
If not water polo will come to be known as
some other sport that is identified with
physical/sexual harassment and no girl/child
would wish to participate in such sporting
events.
By now, there is proof provided by Bishop's
College as well as Visakha Vidyalaya to
support the claim that the SLAF women not
only swim, but they also play foul and could
even qualify for the criminal offence of
voluntarily causing hurt.
Like Ladies College did this year, in the
interest of the future generation of this
country and to avoid students having to face
traumatic situations, all schools should
either stop participating in water polo
events or simply bring the authorities under
severe pressure to bring the culprits to
book.
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Will take action against offenders -
Minister Lokuge
Minister of Sports and Public Recreation,
Gamini Lokuge said a one member committee
headed by former IGP Indra Silva was
appointed to inquire into the complaint made
by Visakha Vidyalaya but said the school was
slow in response.
Minister Lokuge said that a team of doctors
was promptly sent to the school after the
complaint was made and subsequently required
the school to make statements which did not
happen.
"It is not just this school, but two other
girls schools have also had the same
experience. One school refused to
participate in events against the SLAF
women's team. But the affected parties must
come forward if they want justice," he said.
He added there were rumours about alleged
incidents but no formal complaints, making
inquiries impossible.
"They must help us conduct an inquiry. The
inquiry has not been abandoned. If the
inquiry report proves even foul play, I will
promptly take action. The SLASU can recall
the trophy or debar offending teams and/or
players from participating in the sport. I
will do my best to disqualify any one who
breached the rules and committed an
offence," he said.
Unsporty action - Dr. Pilapitiya
Dr. Shiromi Pilapitiya who conducted the
medical inspection on the water polo players
said that she regretted, though a contact
sport that players have to be subjected to
harassment of this nature.
She said she conducted the medical
inspection on request and five players had
different types of marks and bruises. The
oldest player was 19 years. "These things
should really not happen, even though water
polo is a contact sport," she said.
The girls inspected had lacerations on
breasts, bites and scratch marks by finger
nails on neck, arm and breasts besides some
having their breasts pulled, squeezed,
pricked and swim suits being pulled.
SLASU covers up
When a similar incident occurred victimising
students of Bishop's College, School
Principal H. Bibile complained in writing
to the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU)
drawing the sport body's attention to the
matter.
SLASU is registered with the Ministry of
Sports as the national governing body for
the Olympic disciplines of swimming, diving,
water polo, synchronised swimming and open
water swimming in Sri Lanka.
The complaint under the heading "The
malicious behaviour of the Air Force Water
Polo team" sought to bring SLASU's notice to
the dangers young swimmers were exposed to.
But this letter earned a stinging rejoinder
from K.N. Abeysinghe, the then Chairman,
Interim Committee, SLASU who responded by
stating that 'as a contact sport, Federation
Internationale De Nation (FINA) Rules only
provide for an exclusion of the offending
player from the remainder of the game in the
event of an offence that amounts to
'brutality.'
Interestingly, the argument was that
complaints of that nature be brought to the
notice of the referee, immediately- but he
failed to explain when brutality amounted to
a criminal offence, whether the sports body
still wished the matter to be referred to a
referee.
The explanation further added that the
referees of the match in question have
affirmed that the Bishop's College team's
coach had not made any intimations of any
'severe bruising' or 'bite wounds' that
maybe classified as not permitted as per the
FINA water polo rules.
In specific reference to the 'bite wound,'
SLASU Interim Chairman regretted the
complaint not being made in the form of a
written protest provided for in the meet
circular. It further added that the 'failure
and the receipt of your letter a few days
after these matches were conducted' did not
assist to clearly establish proof against a
player.
"The Bishop's College team consists mostly
of players under the age of 15 years and
hence some of the actions by other teams may
feel 'severe.' Although this is not condoned
by the union, but to some extent, is also
unavoidable," it declared.
While thanking Bibile for placing the
incident on record, Abeysinghe's response
added that in the final match of this
tournament held on November 13, the referees
were briefed and in turn they informed the
coaches of the participating teams of the
need to report immediately, any incident
that takes place without the knowledge of
the referee' and concluded that no further
action could be taken with specific
reference to the complaint.
Not available
Attempts to contact Principal, Visakha
Vidyalaya to obtain a comment proved futile.
Her office repeatedly claimed she was busy
at a series of assemblies that did not
permit her to answer the telephone.
Action will be taken when SLASU submits
findings - SLAF
SLAF Spokesperson, Wing Commander Janaka
Nanayakkara said internal inquiries have
been conducted by the SLAF based on a copy
of a complaint sent by the relevant school
to SLASU.
Nanayakkara said only a copy of the
complaint was received by the SLAF Commander
but claimed an internal inquiry was
conducted which proved inconclusive due to
lack of evidence.
"We were also not shown the medical report.
The representative sports body is supposedly
conducting an impartial inquiry. When they
refer the findings back to the SLAF, we will
stand by such findings. There is no cover up
on our part," he said.
Voluntarily causing hurt a criminal offence
A top criminal lawyer explained that as per
the physical harassment recorded in the
medical report, the acts amounted to
voluntarily causing hurt, an offence defined
by Section 312 of the Penal Code.
It states, "Whoever does any act with the
intention of thereby causing hurt to any
person, or with the knowledge that he is
likely thereby to cause hurt to any person,
and does thereby cause hurt to any person,
is said to 'voluntarily cause hurt.'
Section 314 specifies the punishment for
voluntarily causing hurt. It states:
"Whoever voluntarily causes hurt shall be
punished with imprisonment of either
description for a term which may extend to
one year, or with a fine which may extend to
Rs.1,000, or with both." |
