Sri Lanka rugby’s prime sponsor Caltex Lanka Ltd says in no uncertain terms that it prefers an elected body to deal with.

Caltex Lanka Ltd Managing Director Kishu Gomes told Sunday Island that he believed the Rugby Interim Committee would set the necessary environment for the SLRFU to conduct the Annual General Meeting (AGM) for 2009.

"Like with any sponsor, Caltex too prefers to deal with elected officials of the rugby union rather than with individuals appointed by a politician or the Sports Minister," Gomes said.

Gomes said that the Sports Minister himself didn’t fancy interim committees and that the present officials of rugby’s Interim Committee had been entrusted with the job to sort out rugby’s problems.

He said that Rugby Interim Committee Chairman Dr Maiya Gunasekere had a passion for rugby and added that he hoped that Gunasekere would make provisions to have a proper committee to handle rugby.

"Caltex has had discussion with the Rugby Interim Committee officials. Some matters need to be sorted out before we make a commitment with regard to the sponsorship deal with the SLRFU. It is very likely that Caltex will continue sponsoring rugby this year," said Gomes.

Rugby Interim Committee Chairman Dr Maiya Gunasekere when contacted said that Caltex Lanka Ltd had already given them the assurance that it would go ahead with sponsoring domestic rugby in Sri Lanka. "As for the SLRFU AGM, it will be held as soon as the rugby union accounts are finalized and the constitution is reformed," affirmed Dr Gunasekere.

Caltex Lanka Ltd and SLRFU signed the sponsorship deal, the second between the two parties, in 2005. The sponsorship deal will be effective till the end of 2009.

Meanwhile, the Rugby Interim Committee has been successful in roping in a sponsor for the national team which is expected to take part in two upcoming tournaments, the Hong Kong Sevens and the Asian Five Nations.

Gomes said that he had concerns about the present voting rights of clubs. The Rugby Interim Committee has proposed changes to the SLRFU constitution which, if approved by the provincial unions, would see a significant change to the voting rights of clubs.

To add to rugby’s woes, the IRB very recently withheld the annual grant meant for rugby development in Sri Lanka due to the absence of an elected body in the SLRFU. The SLRFU last year received Sterling Pounds 77,000 from the IRB for rugby development.