PANJIM: From the political ground to football field -- once rival in Navelim Constituency for the Goa Assembly elections -- Avertano Furtado and Churchill Alemao will once cross swords against each other. However, this time around it’s for the love of “The Beautiful Game” as the duo has filed their nomination for the Goa Football Association’s president elections.
Avertano Furtado, the former fisheries minister and Navelim MLA, who had kept mum about his development from the time the news broke out about his interest in contesting the elections for the State football association’s chief position, has finally cleared the air and confirmed his interest as he submitted his nomination for the post of the GFA president, on Thursday.
“Before I could commit myself, I wanted the surety from the local clubs about their support towards me. And only with their assurance I have come out and filed my nomination for the post of the president,” informed Avertano Furtado, after filing his nomination at the GFA secretariat, here.
The former fisheries minister, who had stunned the seasoned campaigner --Churchill earlier in the 2012 Assembly elections, is confident of pulling another upset over the Benaulim MLA.
“I’m sure of winning as I have support from most of the clubs and the big clubs including Dempo Sports Club, Salgaocar Football Cluband Sporting Clube de Goa are favouring me,” revealed Avertano.
“I have played football for a long time and I want to give it back to the sports,” he added. Avertano is currently heading The Association for the Wellbeing of Elder Sportspersons (AWES) where he has created a niche for himself organising various activities for the golden oldies and also for football in Goa. Once such example is the recently concluded AWES Cup.
“I have been contributing towards football through AWES and Veterans football and now I want to do something for the youth. I will try and get sponsors for the leagues which will bring back the charm once again and people will be back at the stadiums,” explained Avertano, who is also heading the Goa Veterans Football Association.
Avertano added, “I’ve been assured Rs 1 crore per year by the chief minister which will help me to do something for the Goan football and for the betterment of the sports, players and the clubs in Goa.”