PANJIM: Players other than Goans, will be able to be fielded in State teams for 3rd Lusofonia Games in November 2013 with a view to field
a formidable squad and against the background that the State volleyball girls team that participated in 2nd Lusofonia Games in Lisbon in 2009 was a totally sub-standard one. This was decided at the general body meeting of Goa Olympic Association (GOA) here, Saturday in view of poor performance, except taekwondo, at the two previous Games in Macau and Lisbon.
“The number of players to be invited from the rest of the country (only Indians) has been left at the discretion of the State associations, who will be finally responsible for the team’s performance,” stated Gurudatta Bhakta, GOA secretary.
Asked about the fielding of the basketball team, Bhakta categorically stated that there is no registered association in the game with them or for that matter with SAG. At the same time, he expressed surprise that parents were sending their wards for Nationals at their own cost, when actually the boys and girls can be funded by SAG.
For Lusofonia Games, the GOA will field the basketball squad with the permission of the federation. The IOA and Basketball Federation of India (BFI), I’m sure, will allow us that request in the interest of the State as well as the players. “Our basketball youth should not be deprived of the chance, no matter what,” declared Bhakta emphatically. “For us, there is no basketball association in Goa,” voiced the GOA official.
The associations have demanded that the State teams for the Games be provided with a dedicated place for regular practice, proper diet for the players and coaches made available for undertaking training. “We shall pass on this request to SAG,” said Bhakta.
Asked about the non-functioning of Goa Volleyball Association (GVA) which has not been conducting regular, annual general body meetings, or for that matter, regular managing committee meetings, besides not organising tournaments and not fielding State teams at senior Nationals, not holding the elections which are long overdue, Bhakta said that he had not received a single complaint to that effect. “Some people came to me, but they did not give me a written complaint. I asked them to submit it and I will have to act immediately,” remarked Bhakta.
“We have asked all associations to submit to us the annual report and audited statement of accounts every year so that we can monitor their working from close quarters. The associations have also been asked to renew their registration with the Registrar of Cooperative Societies, since most of them have not complied with the requirement and as such are deemed to have not been recognised,” explained Bhakta at the press briefing.
Bhakta disclosed that Goa Table Tennis Association (GTTA) president, Adv Vero Nunes had pointed out that the associations were not coming under the RTI Act since they are not involved in transactions over Rs 1 crore, as stipulated in the regulations and, moreover, the associations were working on purely voluntary basis. There was a discussion on the matter, since details of past 10 or 15 years are sometimes being asked by RTI activists. “It has been pointed out by Vero that it is not applicable to associations, but we shall be asking the SAG for its opinion, since the requirement was published in the Gazette when V M Prabhudesai was SAG’s ED,” said Bhakta. “But, in any case, all information should be submitted to SAG from time to time, so that records are available.”
Four new associations – fencing, cycling, wushu and squash – have been granted provisional affiliation which will now entitle students to avail of sports merit marks.
Lenny Gama of Goa Boxing Association was felicitated on being appointed observer for Lusofonia Games by the boxing federation.
“The National Federations have already appointed technical delegates for Lusofonia Games, except in football and wushu and I understand that the Lusofonia Games Goa Organising Committee (LUGOG) has been set up, giving representation to GOA, but I have not been officially informed about it,” remarked Bhakta to persistent questions from some journalists who also forced Bhakta to feel that he ought to have been its secretary general since it is GOA that is ultimately responsible for the organisation, like it was done for C’Wealth Games. “I have not been informed about the panel. There is some anomaly, but we have good cooperation and understanding with SAG,” he reiterated.
The meeting was presided over by GOA president, Shripad Naik, MP.
