PANJIM, MAY 28
The five taekwondo players from Vasco who boycotted the 2nd West Zone taekwondo championship will be suspended from all official activities of Taekwondo Association of Goa pending enquiry, stated president, Raju Mangueshkar on Friday.
“Walking out of Goa team is unpardonable. And walking out on a flimsy ground is still worse. They were misguided by SAG coach E Luis, so an enquiry will be held and necessary action will follow. However, they have an option – apologise and get back, because they are young and are good prospects,” Raju explained on the sidelines of the zonal event at Fatorda today.
“In sports, one must not be harsh, but discipline has to be observed first by all means. The boys met me yesterday and I told them that Santoshkumar Singh’s birth date has been recorded as 1991. His black belt awarded by the Federation has the year of birth engraved on the belt. So it is a crime to change it now,” Raju pointed out.
“The boys were misled. If the coach felt there was some problem and injustice, she should have brought it to the notice of her superiors at SAG, because she is an employee of SAG and has to follow proper procedure and guidelines. She has engaged in a serious act of indiscipline and the matter has been brought to the notice of SAG’s ED V M Prabhudesai, who has promised prompt, disciplinary action,” disclosed Raju.
“Yet, we do not want to be harsh. We have replaced the boys already in Goa team. They have already lost a chance. But, if they repent for their act of grave indiscipline, we are ready to forgive them. The selection has been done by all technical officials and there is no hanky panky on that score. They should have waited to talk to me since I was in China. Let the West Zone be over and then we will look into the problem and take appropriate action,” added Raju.
