Equipment generously given by ACOLOP chief missing from Peddem stadium
Dismantled and transported under the not so watchful eyes of Sports Authority of Goa and Goa Olympic Association
Department of equipments was headed by Prabhudesai, then Sports director, recently demoted
Believed to have been sent to a Wushu Academy in Meerut reportedly run by the India Wushu Association president
FRANCIS RIBEIRO
PANJIM: Rupees two crore worth of equipment for the sport of Wushu, one of the disciplines for the recently concluded Lusofonia games has mysteriously gone missing from the newly built state-of-art indoor stadium hall at Peddem.
It could mysteriously reached a private Wushu academy in far-away Meerut in Western UP, reportedly run by the Wushu Association of India President who incidentally represents the Goa Wushu Association.
The Wushu equipment was flown in from China after ACOLOP chief Alex Wong offered the equipment to Goa so that Wushu, a discipline that ACOLOP insisted on, could be conducted in the State during the Lusofonia Games held in the month of January this year.
According to indications emerging from our investigation, the equipment is stored at one Goodwin Wushu Academy owned by one Bupinder Singh Bajwa, who also runs a hotel in Candolim, that goes by the same name Goodwin.
The custodian of this missing equipment is the Department for Equipments under the Lusofonia Games Organizing Committee headed by V M Prabhudessai, who was then the Director of Sports.
Prabhudessai when contacted, directed Herald to contact Lenny D’Gama his deputy, who he said knew the truth. “Whatever Lenny says is the correct version, please contact him,” Prabhudessai said, adding that he had met Lenny this evening and the matter was discussed.
When Herald contacted Lenny D’Gama, he disclosed that he was not permitted to comment on the subject. He, however, disclosed that they acted on directions from the then CEO Keshav Chandra and the Co-ordination Committee.
Former CEO Keshav Chandra, however, did confirm to Herald that the equipment was handed over to the Federation, on condition that whenever Goa is in need of the equipment, it would be returned to Goa.
Attempts to contact SAG Executive Director Sandeep Jacques proved futile.
Herald stepped upon this shocking revelation of missing equipment when it did a surprise check of the infrastructure at the stadium in Peddem, set up during the Lusofonia Games. Those present at the stadium were tight-lipped of its whereabouts.
It may be recalled that the Government of Goa accommodated the Chinese technicians who flew to Goa to install the equipment besides taking care of custom duty which amounts to approximately Rs 74 lakh, and moving the equipment from the docks of Bombay to Goa.
What is surprising is the Wushu equipment was dismantled and transported right under the nose of the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) and the Goa Olympic Association (GOA) who appear unaware of the move to dismantle the equipment.
Secretary of the Goa Olympic Association, Gurudata Bhakta revealed that the sport of Wushu was conducted under the aegis of Wushu Sports Association of Goa, headed by Aldona MLA Glen Ticlo, which has been granted provisional recognition. He said he was shocked to learn that the Wushu equipment was quietly dismantled and moved out of the State.
Bhakta feigned ignorance as to who is responsible for this ‘criminal act’. “The Goa Olympic Association is totally in the dark,” he said.
A dismayed Bhakta, further questioned, “In three years we will be participating in the Lusofonia Games again. What will be Goa’s image?”
There appears to be vested interest within Lusofonia Games Organizing Committee, who allegedly committed this crime on Goa’s sports fraternity. At the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, equipment was retained for local Associations to use. In Goa, equipment is sent to private academies in faraway States, with no one really knowing where the equipment is.
