By Irineu Gonsalves.

ONE OF THE great attractions of football associations and one of the reasons for football’s unrivalled position as the world’s most popular sport is that the associations do not, at anytime, neglect their primary objective.  The primary objective being the love for the game and its upliftment.

But when people become too ambitious the degeneration of football gets hastened.  These ambitious people try to break the rules and norms to suit their interests thereby changing the face of football without anything better to offer.  It is happening here in Goa.  We must put an end to this before it becomes a tragedy because football is so important to Goans. 

A year ago, 150 odd GFA affiliated clubs elected a new executive committee after the previous committee was dissolved owing to financial irregularities. Actually the elections were just a formality because the panel that was opposing got dismantled on its own weight and the decks had been cleared for smooth conduction of elections.  A new Executive Committee under the leadership of Shivanand Salgaocar was put onto the saddle. 

There are a number of complaints regarding the running of GFA affairs. GOAN OBSERVER has received complaints from some clubs in Bardez that the Goa Football Association has been targeting mainly the ‘Bardezkars’ and some issues are being hushed up behind closed doors.  At the finals of the GFA under-14 football tournament at Duler, an ugly incident took place.  A number of spectators directed abusive language at Savio Messias, GFA Secretary.  This bunch of spectators threatened to expose Savio’s misdeeds in front of everyone and that included special invitees Dhanraj Pillay, hockey star and Joaquim Carvalho, former hockey Olympian.  Apprehending trouble, police aid was summoned.

Apparently Tropa Sports and Cultural Club brought forward complaints about a player Manuel Lopes. Manuel signed for two clubs, Laxmi Prasad and Candolim Sports Club, in the recently concluded Second Division League.  Manuel was registered for Laxmi Prasad in the League and even featured in the line up against Friends XI, Vaddem though he did not take the field.  Later on the said player played for Candolim SC.  The outcome of the protest is still not known.

In the Third Division League (Bardez Zone) Peddem Bom Anjuna had qualified for the final play-off.  They were awaiting the outcome of other matches to see which teams would join them for the final play-offs.  But that never happened.  Instead some other team Assagao Youth Club was given chance to the surprise of Peddem Bom Anjuna.

Bardezkars complained that before the commencement of the Third Division League, the GFA had clearly stated that only one team will qualify for the Second Division.  But later on, after completion of the league the GFA decided to qualify two teams.  This was the height of injustice.  Had they known earlier that two teams were supposed to qualify they would have fought for the second place. Again when the GFA under-14 tournament took off, the fourth official ball boys and the stretcher facilities were missing.  But when this was highlighted by the press, the fourth official was restored albeit without any allowance.  A nice way to curtail expenses.  But why were ball boys, stretcher facilities and a fourth official arranged only for the finals?  Was it to impress the chief guest and special invitees Dhanraj Pillay and Joaquim Carvalho, the clubs questioned? Bardezkars also questioned why St. Britto’s High School, Mapusa was not adopted by the GFA even after performing extremely well in the GFA School tournaments.

A member of the Women’s Sub-Committee, Mr. Jude Fernandes, in his letter addressed to Anita Rodrigues, Chairperson, Women’s Sub-Committee, stated that the reason for his suspension was the direct fall out of his ‘heated’ discussion with the GFA secretary at a cultural festival organized by a hotel at Arpora on 20th June, 2004 - Sao Joao bash.  Jude was an invitee, so was the GFA secretary.  Jude pointed out that Savio, who was in an inebriated state picked up an unwarranted argument with him.  It is a shame that GFA matters spill over during social functions.

The General Body is meeting on 1 st August.  Among other points, the imbroglio involving four second division teams will come up.  Village club football is undeniably one of the delights of the Goan sporting scenario.  The players in these are, first and foremost, local boys who are mostly students.  Local reaction to the GFA’s suspension of these budding footballers and even the clubs’ demotion to the third division has been viewed differently.  The boys will go without football.  But what is the GFA’s purpose?

If it is to punish the wrong doers, suspending the hapless players indefinitely is too harsh a decision.  The harm has been done and there is no agenda left to benefit from the punishment or the example.  If you have to bulldoze a building to get rid of minor irritants like ants, get rid of mice first.  Because in the past, clubs caught violating the conditions have not even been given a slap on their knuckles leave alone beating.  So what’s this hard punishment for small clubs?  We are not condoning the wrong.  But when the punishment is selective it sends wrong signals.

The GFA cannot duck its share of responsibility.  The Association should have realised that crucial matches, especially those that decide qualification, need to be better policed.  The GFA admitted to have known of the match-fixing well in advance.  What did it do to prevent it?  The GFA owes an explanation to the General Body on why it restricted the play-off matches to a single leg.  According to Joaquim Gunja, coach of Curtorim Gymkhana his team suffered a big setback as his key player could not play in the crucial match against Wilred Leisure because the GFA had misplaced the player’s card and even though the club management requested to allow him to play, nothing was done. 

A duplicate card could have been issued within minutes.  Speculations are rife that this was done to weaken the team and pass on the advantage to their opponents.  The football aficionados are eagerly watching the situation.  Some sceptics say why bother?  What will happen is a foregone conclusion.  The General Body will have to decide on 1 st August if amnesty should be granted to all the clubs/players/office bearers involved in this imbroglio.  Let us keep our fingers crossed.

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