Say it was formed to sideline GFA Promotion of football only objective, retorts Tawadkar
TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: The legislative members on Thursday questioned State government’s wisdom in constituting the Goa Football Development Council (GFDC), when Goa Football Association (GFA) already exists for promoting the game in Goa.
The discussion came to fore when Independent MLA Benjamin Silva alleged that GFA has been sidelined by the government. He also said that few members of GFDC have a negative attitude towards GFA.
The question was tabled by Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai who sought to know the idea behind constituting GFDC, headed by Dr Rufino Monteiro.
Taking off from the reply tabled by the Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Ramesh Tawadkar, Sardesai said “GFA has been involved in promoting football and creating young talent for years. There was no need to form the GFDC for promotion of football”.
He was supported by Congress MLA Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco, who alleged that GFDC has been formed basically to sideline GFA. He said that he has no doubts on the credential of Monteiro, but felt that there was no need to have a separate association for promotion of football, when GFA already exists.
Replying to the question, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said that the decision to form GFDC was taken during the last budget session, after government declared football as the State Sport.
He clarified that GFA is an association or representative body of various sports club, who are only involved in organizing tournaments and games. “GFDC is involved in developing football as a game. Though football is in the blood of every Goan, they need to be properly trained and that’s what GFDC is doing,” he said.
As per the reply, the 10 member GFDC was constituted on June 29, 2012. Minister Tawadkar said that GFDC has so far opened five football training centers at Valpoi, Navelim, Aldona and Benaulim, where around 600 boys and girls are trained. “Next year we are planning to start another 12 centers,” he said.
