THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: The acceptance and confirmation of match-fixing existing in Goan football by Goa Football Association (GFA) president Churchill Alemao sent shock waves across India.
The statement didn’t go unnoticed at the All-India Football Federation (AIFF) headquarters as Herald TV news was watched by the officials on Tuesday. When Herald contacted AIFF secretary Kushal Das, he offered help to the State association to curb the ‘match-fixing disease’.
“It’s a sad statement to make. Goa is one of the hubs of Indian football and whatever help he (Churchill Alemao) requires; we have an integrity department to support him in this regard. Match-fixing has to be stopped. We have always sent reports of Sports Radar to GFA but GFA should have taken care of that,” Das said.
Former GFA officials also suggested that the government and GFA set up a thorough investigation in this matter. Elvis Gomes, former GFA president said, “The government should immediately constitute a SIT to probe into large scale match fixing and bring offenders to book as it tarnishes the fair name of the State which has been promoting football as the official sport.”
Earlier media reports and letters from AFC and AIFF have been disregarded by the GFA. But with the GFA president’s open admission about the occurrence of match fixing by his own club, it is time to stem the rot.
“Match fixing is a serious criminal offence. It is a new low in Goan football. The guilty must be punished and barred from all activities related to sports. Inaction so far on the part of GFA to take action makes it a prime suspect,” Gomes added.
Former GFA general secretary Savio Messias blamed the association for making a statement without evidence. “It’s an irresponsible statement by the GFA president. Churchill (Alemao) has no right to make such a statement without having evidence. And if he has got evidence, he should have acted upon it. This statement will further put doubt in people’s minds that every game in the State could be fixed,” Messias said.
This isn’t the first time that GFA has experienced match-fixing. Earlier the Association had banned some clubs for match manipulations. “During my tenure, we had taken stern action against the clubs involved in match-fixing wherein we had suspended even the club officials. I expect GFA acts soon before it’s too late,” Messias concluded.
Present members reveal the body was slow in acting
Another former general secretary Welvin Menezes, who is a current member of the executive committee, stated that Alemao had earlier made a claim regarding this during an executive committee meeting to which he had suggested to place the matter before the relevant committee.
“The matter be placed before the relevant committee as well as a case be filed with the Crime Branch since there was ample evidence about the same and if appropriate action was taken at that time the culprits could be taken to task,” Menezes said.
He added that an executive committee member was appointed to liaise with the ethics committee; however, he claimed that no attempts were made by the GFA secretariat to follow up on the matter.
“The reason given by the executive committee member for the delay was due to the pandemic. The delay in the inquiry has definitely encouraged the wrongs to be continued at a bigger scale. It won’t be wrong to say that those in power are hand in glove with the wrongdoers as it is really surprising that no efforts are being made to nab the culprits,” he added.
Probe in matches red-flagged in 2020 not completed Anti-match fixing crusader Jonathan ‘saddened’
In 2020, AFC had red-flagged six Goa Professional League matches. GFA had instituted an inquiry committee to investigate the episode, the outcome of which is yet to see the light of the day. GFA executive committee member from Ilhas Zone Jonathan De Sousa was a lone warrior fighting to clean up the malaise and clean up the system.
Jonathan was the one who had written to AFC, FIFA, and AIFF and got the GFA to institute an inquiry committee and investigate the matter. At several meetings, he fought to hand over the inquiry to the Crime Branch and file a police complaint in the matter. When contacted De Sousa stated that he was saddened by the whole episode that is eating into Goan football.
“At the inquiry committee hearing at Duler stadium, some of our club officials deposed before the chairman of the committee Dene Rosario. I too deposed with documentary evidence, however, the chairman informed me that he would call me separately to place on record the evidence that I had. I am yet to get notified of the appointment,” he added.
“The entire executive committee, clubs, stakeholders, and fans of Goan football must unite to clean up the system. We must ensure that we remain loyal to the sport and not let the beautiful game down,” de Sousa concluded.
