MARGAO: Badminton players and enthusiasts are sore over Sports Authority of Goa’s decision granting permission for Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) for holding live screenings of FIFA World Cup football matches inside the Multipurpose hall near the Nehru stadium, Fatorda, beginning from Friday.
Questioning the rationale of permitting the live screening in the multipurpose hall which has badminton courts, a badminton player Oscar Silveira slammed an insensitive sports body for taking such a decision. “From June 3, we will not be able to use the badminton courts till the World Cup finals. This is grave injustice to the badminton sport. There’s a state badminton championship in Panjim from July 7. Our players are in a fix as the multipurpose hall is not available for practice sessions”, Oscar said.
He pointed out that badminton players from Margao had made a mark at the national level by winning laurels for the state. “There are four children form Margao who are national badminton players. They are Tejan Falary, Anushka Kuvelkar, Emilia Silveira and Pranjal Chimulkar and have represented India under 19 mixed doubles in Germany and the Netherlands”, he said.
Replying to a question, Oscar said he had approached ESG Chairman Damu Naik with a plea to reconsider the decision to screen live the World Cup matches from the Multipurpose hall, but in vain. “Damu said the ESG has already booked the hall for the live screening of the matches and it will not be possible to change the venue at the eleventh hour”, he added.
