PANJIM: While the government has been cribbing of having no funds to support State Sports Associations, there is a major junk of money disbursed to an individual Rahul Prabhudesai for Mountaineering Expedition to Mt Everest during April-May 2018.
A sum of Rs 23,55,000 was disbursed to Rahul, who happens to be the son of Margao Municipal Council Chairperson Babita Dilip Angle Prabhudesai. Though the government gave Rahul full support, his effort to scale the Mt Everest failed.
However, some State Sports Associations have shown their displeasure towards Government’s decision to support certain individuals and not associations as a whole.
“It’s astonishing that a sum of 23 lakhs is being spent for mountain climbing when our grants (everything submitted properly) to the tune of Rs 11,15,255 along with previous grants during the tenure of the previous secretary (files re-done and submitted) to the tune of Rs 6,20,548 are not yet paid,” said Goa Boxing Association Secretary Danushka da Gama.
The Goa Boxing Association has produced a pool of talented boxers who have excelled at National and International level.
“Our boxers and coaches have been winning national and international medals and they haven’t been disbursed with prize money yet,” added Gama.
“Members have been spending from our pockets to pitch in. I had to resort to crowd-funding to gather money, as each time I go to SAG I only get insulted and am asked to comply with rules while SAG has their own way of getting disbursements for some and making other toil,” further explained Gama.
There is more to it, some associations highlighted that the football association, who are most the beneficiaries
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, an official from Table tennis association stated, “Mountaineering is an adventure sports. And if you see that there 10-75 years who have done it. The person is doing it for your passion and so the State shouldn’t finance those kinds of sports. Today’s it’s Rahul, tomorrow it will be someone else. Today there are many adventure sports. The first priority should be given to Olympic sports,” he concluded.
An official from the Goa Badminton Association, who spoke on the condition on the anonymity stated, “A budget of around 10 lakhs or thereabout per association will be an appropriate amount to cover the annual budgetary requirements of such athletes to raise their levels to national standards. If the Government can provide a huge budget to football and clubs like Churchill Brothers who are getting Rs 3 crores annually, there’s no reason why it can’t do the same to other athletes to help them develop,” added the officials.
It can be recalled that Goa Football Development Council was formed by former CM Manohar Parrikar but according to the Badminton official it creates conflict.
“GFDC could be put under GFA. GFDC should be phased out and the development of football should be run through Goa Football Association as this would help the growth of football and proper functioning,” added the official.
The official also stressed on the importance of grading the sports which will help in disbursing funds on those grounds.
“Football is a state sport and deserves to be in the top Grade but that doesn’t mean they get a major chunk. First it was GFDC, then Churchill Brothers FC and now GFA. Instead they should streamline and set a budget according to the grades which will bring parity to all associations,” added the official.
Grading is important in the sport as this is where the governing could do better.
So that there are no rifts and conflicts and secondly grading of sports.
Sandeep Heble, Secretary Goa Badminton Association said, ‘In each discipline, 4 to 5 talented players who achieve laurels at the State level and who demonstrate good potential can be provided financial grants to meet their training and travel requirements.”
“At the National level, we are normally placed at the bottom of the charts because the Government focuses largely on one sport which needs to change. The progress of the athletes can be directly monitored by the SAG and respective association, and funds could also be directly transferred to each player’s account,” Heble added.
