PANJIM: Distribution of liquor, freebies and bribes have become a major bait for the contesting parties, be it the crucial centre, state polls or elections of a sports federation.
Yes, you read it right! With just days to go for the Goa Football Association (GFA) polls to the executive committee, money, liquor and freebies have flooded the battle arena. Netas have been splurging money in an unprecedented manner for exchange of votes. Surprisingly, it seems GFA and the All India Football Federation have chosen to turn a blind eye towards the brazen use of unethical practices.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Churchill Alemao will lock horns with former fisheries minister Avertano Furtado on October 28.
Gajanan Kerkar, a three-time GFA executive committee member and former footballer from Bardez, says clubs are being lured with money, football kits etc. “Not only this, a member from Bardez has bought ISL tickets for the last two matches worth lakhs to distribute to the clubs in order to win their votes,” Kerkar said. He further alleged that these malpractices should be stopped and members who are sincerely working for the game of football should be given a chance. “Some members are just getting elected and doing nothing besides just going on tours,” Kerkar, a member of Calangute Association for 35 years, further added.
He said football recently, despite being called a state sport, has not grown. “The sheer evidence is in the last U-17 World Cup, which didn’t feature even a single Goan player. Is this where we are heading?” he asked.
Angelo Albuquerque, who is contesting for the post of vice-president, says it is time for the clubs to vote wisely and not on the basis of popularity of the candidate. “If football has to grow than clubs have to vote for the people, who can give their precious time and not mere use the post for their benefits,” he said. He termed bribery allegations as a very serious matter. “This needs to be investigated and those involved must be debarred,” he added.
He also said that some people are using the GFA as their own ancestral property. “A member of executive committee who is again in the fray went to Portugal as a physiotherapist with the team. Isn’t this act criminal?” he asked.
GFA President Elvis Gomes says even though the bribery allegations have surfaced, the GFA seems to have no mechanism to stop it. “I have come to know that there was a huge party thrown by a South Goa bigwig at a hotel near Mapusa, but there is very little the GFA can do to stop it. There are 160 members how can we monitor everyone?” Gomes told Herald.
He, however, accepted that this is a serious matter and needs to be dealt with properly. “Even in FIFA so many members were disqualified due to these allegations,” he said adding, “However, what else can you expect when political heavyweights contest sports elections.”
