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PANJIM: Sports Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar rejected the criticism levelled against him by Lenny Da Gama for neglecting boxing activities in the State.
Both Lenny and Ajgaonkar were addressing media persons at the Secretariat on Wednesday.
While Ajgaonkar began reading an official letter where the State government had praised the fact that a ‘Niz Goemkar’ is representing Asia at the Tokyo Olympics, the Minister did not know Lenny’s name.
Responding to an allegation that he was not aware of Lenny’s appointment, Ajgaonkar started praising a ‘Mr Gomes’.
After being corrected by media persons that Lenny’s surname is ‘da Gama’, Ajgaonkar said he and the government congratulate ‘Lenna da Gama’.
He further pointed out that the Chief Minister had already spoken about his achievement and had already promised to provide all financial support to Lenny and reiterated that it’s a matter of pride for Goa.
Ajgaonkar however, rejected Lenny’s charges and said he had never refused to meet anyone or act on their demands.
“Goa is the biggest State in the country when it comes to providing grants and funds to local sport associations,” claimed the Sports Minister.
“There was an issue with Goa Boxing Association’s (GBA) registration, which had been conveyed to GBA, which had held up the clearing of grant. Besides that, he added that some procedural work was required on GBA’s part, to complete the due legal process, before the funds are released,” he said.
Indicating that the funds could be released soon, he however took a sly dig at GBA for failing to produce quality boxers in the State that can compete at the highest level.
He said, “It is the onus on the association to prepare better and stronger boxers, given that the National Games are approaching where he expects Goa to perform well in various sport formats including boxing.”
