Talking to Star TV at the half-time during the ISL semi-finals at the Fatorda stadium, Sirnivas Dempo, co-owner of FC Goa, said that it wasn’t an exaggeration that FC Goa’s fans had slept at the Stadium the night before the ticket counters were to open. Continuing in the same breath, Mr Dempo went on to add that he could not work for the last few days as he was kept busy obliging friends, acquaintances, relatives and business associates with tickets for the semis.
Mr Dempo may have been perfectly right with facts and pretty honest too, but what pained was that he did not have a word of sympathy for the legion of die hard FC Goa fans who were unfairly deprived. He did not have a word of apology for the multitude of FC Goa fans who came to the Fatorda stadium at dawn to stand in serpentine queues for eight long agonizing hours only to go back home disappointed. These are the genuine fans of football and of FC Goa from day one who had stood by the team dear to them even when the chips were down. Who will fill up the stadium Mr Dempo when your influential bold & beautiful high heeled friends, acquaintances, relatives and business associates are not interested in tickets or passes?
Nita Ambani indeed deserves a salute for taking such a passionate initiative to take Indian football to International level but the owners of FC Goa have a lot of explanation to do- that is if they intend to assuage the hurt feelings of FC Goa fans. For one thing, the owners/organizers need to give a break-up of tickets/passes sold or given out and also tell the people how many tickets were actually sold at the Fatorda stadium on December 13. Needless to say, the support base of FC Goa will erode significantly in the days to come if genuine fans feel betrayed.
Jesuin George Fernandes, Cansaulim
