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Waseem complains Football Federation and decided not to participate in the Asian Cup qualifying round.
Waseem Raseek is the highest goal-scoring footballer in recent times who has brought many victories to Sri Lanka in football. However, he has recently stated that he is very concerned about the Sri Lankan football administration. He also announced that he would not be participating in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC Asain Cup 2023) qualifiers final round.
He pointed out that the main reason for the unavailability of the qualifying round of the Asian Cup was the irresponsible acts of the Football Federation Administration. A few days ago, in response to an email from the Football Federation asking Waseem when he would return to the national team and his demands, he announced that he would take part in the Asian Cup qualifying round from the 28th of May but the administration should fulfil his agreed promises in the past.
Waseem stated that he had faced similar breaches of promise before. He also said that he was not given proper treatment at the national football training camp in Beddagana and was not even given proper food and drinks.
He also noted that the Football Federation has not awarded contracts to players as promised to the national team in the past. At a meeting in July 2021, he said they were promised a one-year contract with a salary, but that did not happen later. Waseem said the federation did not respond to his inquiry on this same.
“I’m a professional footballer. I’m a married father. Everywhere I played before I had the right contract amount and time, and every player had insurance. When sudden injuries occur when we play, in such cases, money for surgery can be obtained from the insurance.
He also said that some people in the federation had tried to damage his professional career by smearing him with mud and he was ready to face them.
Waseem also said that he had decided not to play in the Asian Cup qualifiers due to the selection of new players with less international experience who were found in the recent inter-provincial football tournament without selecting the players in the national team.
Sri Lanka has shown the best results so far in the Asian Cup qualifiers. This is not the time to give new players an international experience. Sujan and I have been planning for this tournament for a long time.
This is the most important competition for us. So this requires better-experienced players. If any match ends in victory, that pride goes to the management. But failure seems to be the players’ fault.
“Recently, the Sri Lankan football team has emerged as one of the best teams in South Asia. We have the support of players from countries like India and the Maldives. If we lose that respect like this they will look at us again and laugh. Another, I came to play for Sri Lanka after playing in foreign Football clubs. That is why the spectators in our country still treat me as a foreigner. They expect me to play to the fullest. But in a situation like this, it is difficult for me to give my fullest strength. ”
Asked if he would play for the national team again, he said he was definitely interested in playing for the national team.
වසීම්ගෙන් පාපන්දු සම්මේලනයට චෝදනා – ආසියානු කුසලාන සුදුසුකම් ලැබීමේ තරගාවලියට සහභාගි නොවී සිටිමටත් තීරණයක්…..
වසීම් රාසික් පාපන්දු ක්රීඩාවෙන් මෙරටට ජයග්රහණ රැසක් අත්කර දීමට උර දුන් ප්රමුඛ පෙළේ පාපන්දු ක්රීඩකයෙකි. කෙසේවෙතත් ඔහු ශ්රී ලාංකේය පාපන්දු පරිපාලනය සම්බන්ධව දැඩි කනස්සල්ලකින් පසු වන බව මෑතකදී ඔහු විසින් ම දන්වා තිබුණි. එමෙන් ම ඔහු ඉදිරියේ දී පැවැත්වීමට නියමිත ආසියානු පාපන්දු කුසලාන සුදුසුකම් ලැබීමේ තරගාවලිය සඳහා සහභාගි නොවීමට තීරණය කර තිබේ.
ආසියානු පාපන්දු කුසලානයට සුදුසුකම් ලැබීමේ තරගාවලියට සහභාගි නොවී සිටිමට ඔහු තීරණය කළේ ඇයි දැයි විමසීමේදි ඔහුගේ පිළිතුර වූයේ මේ සඳහා හේතු ගණනාවක් බලපා ඇති බවයි. ඒ අතරින් ආසන්නතම හේතුව ලෙස ඔහු දැක්වූයේ පාපන්දු සම්මේලනයේ වගකීම් විරහිත ක්රියාකලාපයයි.
මීට දින කිහිපයකට පෙර පාපන්දු සම්මේලනයෙන්, ඔහු නැවත ජාතික කණ්ඩායමට එකතු වන්නේ කවදාද සහ ඔහුගේ ඉල්ලීම් විමසමින් වසීම් වෙත එවූ ලිපියට පිළිතුරු ලෙස මේ මස 28 දින සිට ආසියනු කුසලාන සුදුසුකම් ලැබීමේ තරගාවලියට සහභාගි වන බව දන්වා ඇති අතර ඔහුට මින් පෙර ලබාදුන් පොරොන්දු ඉටුකරන ලෙසත් දන්වා තිබේ.
තමන්ට මීට පෙරත් මෙවැනි ම පොරොන්දු පැහැර හැරීමේ සිදුවීම්වලට මුහුණ දීමට සිදුවී ඇති බව වසීම් ප්රකාශ කළේය. එමෙන් ම බැද්දගානේදී පැවති ජාතික පාපන්දු පුහුණු කඳවුරේදී ඔහුට නිසි සැළකීමක් නොකළ බවත්, ඔහුට නිසි ලෙස ආහාරපාන පවා ලබා නොදුන් බවත් සඳහන් කළේ ය.
එමෙන්ම පාපන්දු සම්මේලනය විසින් මින් පෙරදීත් ජාතික කණ්ඩායමට පොරොන්දු වූ පරිදි ක්රීඩක කොන්ත්රාත්තු ලබා නොදීම පිළිබඳව ද මෙහිදි ඔහු සඳහන් කළේ ය. ඒ 2021 ජූලි මස තිබූ හමුවකදි ඔවුන්ට වසරක ක්රීඩක කොන්ත්රාතුවක් වැටුපක් සහිතව ලබා දෙන බව ඔවුන් පොරොන්දු වූවත් පසුව එසේ සිදුනොවූ බව ඔහු පැවසීය. ඒ සම්බන්ධයෙන් ඔහු සිදු කළ විමසීම්වලදි සම්මේලනයෙන් නිසි ප්රතිචාරයක් නොලැබූ බවද වසීම් ප්රකාශ කළේ ය.
“මම වෘත්තිය පාපන්දු ක්රීඩකයෙන්. මම විවාහක පියෙක්. මම මීට පෙර ක්රීඩා කළ සෑම තැනකදීම නිසි කොන්ත්රාත් මුදල හා කාලයක් තිබුණා. ඒ වගේම සෑම ක්රීඩකයෙක්ට ම රක්ෂණයක් තිබුනා. අපිට ක්රීඩා කරන විට හදිසි ආබාධ වෙන්න පුළුවන්. ඒ වගේ වෙලාවක රක්ෂණයෙන් අපිට අපේ ශල්යකර්ම සඳහා මුදල් ලබාගන්න පුළුවන්. ඒක පරිපාලනයේ වගකීමක්.”
තවද ඔහු මේ සම්බන්ධව විමසීම හේතුවෙන් සම්මේලනය ඇතුළත සමහරක් පිරිස ඔහුගේ වෘත්තිය ජීවිතයට හානි කරමින් මඩ ප්රහාර එල්ල කිරීමට ද උත්සහයක් දැරූ බවත් ඔහු ඒවාට මුහුණ දීමට සූදානමින් සිටි බවත් පැවසීය.
ජාතික කණ්ඩායමේ සිටින ක්රීඩකයන් තෝරා නොගෙන මෑතකදි පැවති අන්තර් පළාත් පාපන්දු තරගාවලියෙන් හමු වු ජාත්යන්තර අත්දැකීම් අඩු නවක ක්රීඩකයන්ව ආසියානු කුසලාන සුදුසුකම් ලැබීමේ තරගාවලියට තෝරාගැනීම නිසා එම තරගාවලියට ක්රීඩා නොකර සිටිමට තමා තීරණය කළ බව ද වසීම් පැවැසුවේ ය.
“ආසියානු කුසලාන සුදුසුකම් ලැබීමේ තරගාවලිය මෙතෙක් ශ්රී ලංකාව ලඟා කරගත් ඉහළම දක්ෂතාවයක්.එවැනි වැදගත් තරගයකට ජාත්යන්තර අත්දැකීම් අඩු නවක ක්රීඩකයන් තෝරගැනීම ඔවුන්ටත් මේ රටටත් කරන අසාධාරණයක්. එම නවක ක්රීඩකයන් හට ජාත්යන්තර අත්දැකීම් ලබාදීමට සුදුසු වෙලාව මේක නෙමෙයි. මේ තරගාවලිය සඳහා මම හා සුජාන් බොහෝ කාලයක සිට සැලසුම් කරා. මේක අපට ගොඩක් වැදගත් තරගයක්. ඒ නිසා අපිට මේකට අපේ දක්ෂතම අත්දැකීම් බහුල ක්රීඩකයන් අවශ්ය වෙනවා. ඕනෑම තරගාවලියක අවසානය ජයග්රාහි ලෙස අවසන් වුනොත් ඒකේ ක්රෙඩිට් එක යන්නේ පරිපාලනයට. ඒත් පරාජයක් වුනොත් ඒක ක්රීඩකයන්ගේ වැරද්දක් විදියට තමා පෙනෙන්නේ .
පසුගිය කාලය තුළ ශ්රී ලංකා පාපන්දු කණ්ඩායම දකුණු ආසියාවේ නැගී එන කණ්ඩායමක් වෙමින් තිබුණේ. අපට ඉන්දීයාව, මාලදිවයින වැනි රටවල්වල ක්රීඩකයන්ගෙන් ලොකු ප්රසාදයක් තියෙනවා. ඒ ගෞරවය මේ විදියට නැතිකරගත්තොත් නැවත් ඔවුන් අපට සිනාසේවි. අනෙක් කාරණය නම්, මම විදෙස් ක්රීඩා සමාජවල ක්රීඩා කරලා ලංකාව වෙනුවෙන් ක්රීඩාකරන්න පැමිණි කෙනෙක්. තවමත් ඒ නිසා අපේ රටේ ප්රේක්ෂකයන් මට සළකන්නේ විදේශිකයෙක් ලෙසයි. ඔවුන් මගෙන් බලාපොරොත්තු වෙන්නේ උපරිමයෙන් ක්රීඩා කිරීමයි. ඒත් මේ වගේ තත්වයක් මත මගේ උපරිමය දෙන්න අමාරුයි.”
නැවත ඔහු ජාතික කණ්ඩායමයට ක්රීඩා කරනවාද යන පැනයට පිළිතුරු ලෙස ඔහු කියා සිටියේ, ඔහු නිසැකවම ජාතික කණ්ඩායමට ක්රීඩාකිරිමේ කැමැත්තෙන් සිටින බවයි.
“අනිවාර්යෙන්ම මම ඉදිරියටත් රට වෙනුවෙන් ක්රීඩා කරනවා. මේක මගේ වගකීමක්, රාජකාරියක් වගේම රටට කළ යුතු සේවාවක්. මම ගොඩක් කැමත්තෙන් ක්රීඩා කරනවා. මම තාමත් හිතන්නේ මෙම තරගාවලිය කොහොමද ක්රීඩාකරන්නේ කියලා. මට ගොඩක් හිතට දුකයි මේ වගේ අවස්ථාවක අපේ ජාතික කණ්ඩායමේ උපරිම දක්ෂතාවය ලබාගන්න බැරිවීම ගැන. මම තවමත් හිතනවා පරිපාලනය මේ ප්රශ්නයට නිසි පිළිතුරක් දෙයි කියලා. එහෙම වුනොත් මම අනිවාර්යෙන්ම මෙම තරගාවලියට ක්රීඩා කරනවා.”
வசிம் கால்பந்தாட்ட சம்மேளனம் மீது குற்றச்சாட்டு …. ஆசியகிண்ண தகுதி சுற்றில் பங்கேற்காது இருக்கவும் தீர்மானம்….
வாசிம் ராசிக் கால்பந்தாட்டத்தில் இலங்கைக்கு பல வெற்றிகளைப் பெற்றுத் தந்த முன்னணி கால்பந்து வீரர் ஆவார். எவ்வாறாயினும், இலங்கை கால்பந்தாட்ட நிர்வாகம் தொடர்பில் தாம் மிகுந்த கவலையடைவதாக அவரே அண்மையில் தெரிவித்திருந்தார். மேலும் ஆசிய கால்பந்து சம்மேளனத்தின் (AFC) தகுதிச் சுற்றுப் போட்டிகளில் பங்கேற்கப் போவதில்லை என்றும் அவர் அறிவித்துள்ளார்.
ஆசிய கோப்பைக்கு தகுதி சுற்றில் பங்கு பற்றாமைக்கு முக்கிய காரணம் கால்பந்து சம்மேளனத்தின் பொறுப்பற்ற செயற்பாடு என்று அவர் குறிப்பிட்டார்.
சில நாட்களுக்கு முன்பு, கால்பந்து கூட்டமைப்பு, வாசிம் எப்போது தேசிய அணிக்கு திரும்புவார் என்று கேட்டு அனுப்பிய கடிதம் மற்றும் அவரது கோரிக்கைகளுக்கு பதிலளிக்கும் வகையில், அவர் கடந்த மாதம் 28 ஆம் தேதி முதல் ஆசிய கோப்பை தகுதிச் சுற்றில் பங்கேற்பேன் என்றும் தனது முந்தைய வாக்குறுதிகளை நிறைவேற்றுமாறும் அவர் அறிவித்தார்.
இதற்கு முன்னரும் இவ்வாறான வாக்குறுதி மீறல்களை எதிர்கொண்டதாக வாசிம் தெரிவித்துள்ளார். மேலும், பெத்தகனில் நடைபெற்ற தேசிய கால்பந்து பயிற்சி முகாமில் தனக்கு உரிய சிகிச்சை அளிக்கப்படவில்லை என்றும், சரியான உணவு, பானங்கள் கூட வழங்கப்படவில்லை என்றும் அவர் கூறினார்.
கடந்த காலங்களில் தேசிய அணிக்கு உறுதியளித்தபடி கால்பந்து சம்மேளனம் வீரர்களுக்கான ஒப்பந்தங்களை வழங்கவில்லை எனவும் அவர் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார். ஜூலை 2021 இல் நடந்த கூட்டத்தில், சம்பளத்துடன் ஒரு வருட விளையாட்டு ஒப்பந்தம் அவர்களுக்கு உறுதியளிக்கப்பட்டது, ஆனால் அது பின்னர் நடக்கவில்லை என்று கூறினார். இது தொடர்பாக தாம் கேட்டதற்கு சம்மேளனம் பதிலளிக்கவில்லை என்றும் வாசிம் கூறினார்.
“நான் ஒரு தொழில்முறை கால்பந்து வீரர். நான் திருமணமான தந்தை. முன்பு நான் விளையாடிய எல்லா இடங்களிலும் சரியான ஒப்பந்தத் தொகையும் நேரமும் இருந்தது. மேலும் ஒவ்வொரு வீரருக்கும் காப்பீடு இருந்தது. நாம் விளையாடும் போது திடீர் காயங்கள் ஏற்படும். இதுபோன்ற சமயங்களில் அறுவை சிகிச்சைக்கான பணத்தை காப்பீட்டில் இருந்து பெறலாம். அது நிர்வாகத்தின் பொறுப்பு.”
மேலும், சம்மேளனத்தில் உள்ள சிலர் சேறு பூசி தனது தொழில் முறை விளையாட்டு வாழ்க்கையை சேதப்படுத்த முயற்சித்ததாகவும், அவற்றை எதிர்கொள்ள தயாராக இருப்பதாகவும் அவர் கூறினார்.
அண்மையில் நடைபெற்ற மாகாணங்களுக்கிடையிலான கால்பந்தாட்டப் போட்டியிலிருந்து சர்வதேச அனுபவம் குறைந்த புதிய வீரர்கள் தெரிவு செய்யப்பட்டமையினால் ஆசியக் கிண்ணத் தகுதிச் சுற்றுப் போட்டிகளில் விளையாடுவதில்லை எனத் தீர்மானித்ததாகவும் வாசிம் தெரிவித்தார்.
ஆசியக் கிண்ணத் தகுதிச் சுற்றுப் போட்டிகள் இலங்கை இதுவரை சிறந்த பெறுபேற்றை வெளிப்படுத்தியுள்ளது. புதிய வீரர்களுக்கு சர்வதேச அனுபவத்தை அளிக்க இது நேரமில்லை. நானும் சுஜானும் இந்த போட்டிக்காக நீண்ட நாட்களாக திட்டமிட்டு வருகிறோம்.
இது எங்களுக்கு மிக முக்கியமான போட்டி. எனவே இதற்கு சிறந்த அனுபவமிக்க வீரர்கள் தேவை. எந்த ஒரு போட்டியும் வெற்றியில் முடிந்தால், அதன் பெருமை நிர்வாகத்திற்கே செல்கிறது. ஆனால் தோல்வி ஏற்பட்டால் அது வீரர்களின் தவறாகத் தெரிகிறது.
“அண்மைக்காலமாக இலங்கை உதைபந்தாட்ட அணி தெற்காசியாவில் ஒரு சிறந்த அணியாக வலம் வருகின்றது. இந்தியா, மாலத்தீவு போன்ற நாடுகளில் உள்ள வீரர்களின் ஆதரவு எங்களுக்கு அதிகம். அந்த மரியாதையை இப்படி இழந்தால் மீண்டும் நம்மைப் பார்த்து சிரிப்பார்கள். மற்றொன்று, நான் வெளிநாட்டு விளையாட்டுக் கழகங்களில் விளையாடிவிட்டு இலங்கைக்காக விளையாட வந்தேன்.அதனால்தான் நம் நாட்டில் உள்ள பார்வையாளர்கள் என்னை இன்னும் வெளிநாட்டவராகவே நடத்துகிறார்கள். நான் முழுமையாக விளையாட வேண்டும் என்று எதிர்பார்க்கிறார்கள். ஆனால் இதுபோன்ற சூழ்நிலையில் என்னால் உயர்மட்ட திறமையை வெளிப்படுத்த கடினம். ”
மீண்டும் தேசிய அணிக்காக விளையாடுவாரா என்ற கேள்விக்கு பதிலளித்த அவர், தேசிய அணியில் விளையாடுவதில் நிச்சயம் ஆர்வமாக உள்ளேன் என்றார்.
Football
AIFF Faces FIFA, AFC Ban Threat as October 30 Deadline Looms
Indian football is staring at yet another international suspension as FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have jointly warned the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to ratify its long-pending constitution by October 30, 2025, or risk a complete ban from world football.
In a strongly-worded two-page letter sent on Tuesday (August 26) to AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey, FIFA and AFC expressed “profound concern” over the failure to finalise and implement a revised constitution, a matter pending before India’s Supreme Court since 2017.
If suspended, India’s national teams and clubs would be barred from all international competitions, while the country’s ambitious 2036 Olympic Games bid in Ahmedabad could also be thrown into uncertainty.
FIFA & AFC Ultimatum
The letter, signed by FIFA’s Chief Member Associations Officer Elkhan Mammadov and AFC Deputy General Secretary Vahid Kardany, set out three urgent requirements for the AIFF:
1. Obtain a definitive Supreme Court order approving the revised constitution.
2. Ensure full compliance with FIFA and AFC statutes.
3. Formally ratify the constitution at the next AIFF General Meeting.
Failure to comply, they warned, would trigger sanctions, including full suspension of AIFF membership.
Previous Suspension in 2022
This is not the first governance crisis to hit Indian football. In August 2022, FIFA suspended the AIFF for “third-party interference” after a court-appointed Committee of Administrators temporarily ran the federation. That ban lasted just two weeks, lifted only after fresh elections were held in which Kalyan Chaubey defeated football legend Bhaichung Bhutia.
Domestic Fallout – ISL in Crisis
The deadlock has already disrupted Indian football at the domestic level. The Indian Super League (ISL), India’s top-tier professional league, has been put “on hold” by Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), the AIFF’s commercial partner, due to uncertainty over its Master Rights Agreement, which expires in December 2025.
At least three clubs have suspended operations or delayed salaries, while all 11 ISL clubs have warned of an “existential crisis.” Reports from FIFPRO further highlight cases of players’ contracts being terminated, leaving livelihoods at risk.
The Supreme Court of India will hear the matter again on August 28, a session that could determine the immediate future of the ISL and India’s football calendar.
What’s at Stake
If AIFF fails to meet the October deadline, India could lose:
• Participation in FIFA and AFC tournaments.
• Entry rights for national teams and clubs in international competitions.
• Momentum in its 2036 Olympics bid.
• Credibility with players, fans, and commercial partners.
For now, the football fraternity in India waits anxiously for the Supreme Court’s verdict and AIFF’s ability to steer through yet another governance storm
Football
Heritage Derby Trophy Goes to Hameed Al Husseinie College
Colombo – Hameed Al Husseinie College emerged victorious in the prestigious Heritage Derby Trophy football encounter against Zahira College, Maradana, securing a 3–1 win at the Colombo Racecourse grounds yesterday.
The match kicked off under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, adding special significance to this annual football rivalry.
Hameed Al Husseinie College took control early, leading 2–0 at halftime before sealing the victory with a third goal in the second half. Zahira College managed to pull one back, but it was not enough to challenge the dominant performance of the winners.
The trophy presentation was held soon after the final whistle, with the principals of both schools — Rizvi Marikkar of Zahira College and Mrs. Dain of Hameed Al Husseinie College — present to witness the celebrations.
This latest victory adds another chapter to the rich history of the Heritage Derby, further cementing Hameed Al Husseinie College’s reputation in school football.
Football
Exclusive: AFC Fines Sri Lankan Footballer Over “Free Palestine” Message
Colombo – June 13
Sri Lankan national footballer Mohamed Thilham, who recently made headlines after displaying a “PRAY FOR FREE PALESTINE” message on his undershirt during post-match celebrations, has now been officially penalized by international football authorities.
Following Sri Lanka’s 3-1 victory over Chinese Taipei in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers on June 10 at the Colombo Racecourse Stadium, Thilham—a non-playing substitute—unveiled the message, drawing both praise and criticism from various quarters.

⚠️ AFC Sanctions Player with USD 2,000 Fine
FIFA, in coordination with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), has now issued a formal disciplinary notice to the player, imposing a USD 2,000 fine. This letter, according to sources within the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL), was sent addressing to Thilham, underscoring AFC stance on politically charged expressions at official matches.
According to FIFA’s Disciplinary Code, players are prohibited from displaying political, religious, or personal slogans during matches or official ceremonies. While Thilham’s gesture occurred after the final whistle, FIFA and AFC treat any action within the stadium environment as part of official conduct.
⚽ FFSL Under Scrutiny for Disciplinary Action
FFSL President Jaswar Umar previously stated that the act “was not authorized by the federation” and “violates international football disciplinary norms.” He also confirmed that the FFSL would take internal disciplinary action against the player.
However, this incident has reignited public debate over the role of athletes in social advocacy and the limits imposed by international sports law. While some supporters see Thilham’s actions as courageous and morally driven, others have raised concerns about the player’s career stability and future opportunities under increasing scrutiny.
📝 Editorial Insight
At Sri Lankan Sports TV, we initially chose to withhold the content of the message in our match coverage—out of responsibility to the player’s career and to respect global sports protocol. However, the message went viral after several social media users circulated the full image, seemingly with the intention of sparking controversy.
The resulting spotlight has unfortunately led to a formal penalty, underscoring the real-world consequences that athletes may face when international regulations intersect with personal conviction.
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