Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The recently concluded Asian Games gave the entire nation a reason to celebrate! Perhaps, India witnessed best-ever medal haul which saw them rake in 69 medals not forgetting the 15 glittering gold.
The ‘shooting stars’, the ‘throwers’ the wrestlers and the athletes –all got their job done right thus helping India equal their best ever tally of gold medals by winning 15, emulating their 1951 New Delhi performance.
Truly a victory for India’s sporting fraternity and the upcoming stars, considering their upward surge and significant progress at the international sporting events.
Though the figures give a huge sigh of relief for India, it’s also a matter of huge concern for Goa. The State managed to send just two athletes –The Coelho siblings (Katya and Dyane) – in the 572-strong Asian Games contingent. No doubt, it’s a proud moment for the State to see two Goans. However, it also raises eyebrows that Goa could manage to produce just two athletes for India.
When contacted Sports Authority of Goa Executive Director V M Prabhudessai and asked about the reason for Goa’s low presence at International platform, he said, “Federations are answerable and not the Sports Authority of Goa”.
“The selections are conducted by the National federation and not by SAG so this question is not applicable to us,” added Prabhudessai.
Surprisingly, the answer given by Prabhudessai isn’t the solution nor would make up for the State’s failure to produce players for India.
Goa’s sporting calendar is always filled with events –be it table tennis, badminton, archery, football, sepak takrow, swimming. The events and opportunities are provided to the players but are they taken at the fullest? Or do the State associations or the government helping the upcoming players with the best facilities and aid?
Looking back, the Coelho siblings toiled to make it to represent India.
Katya was the first and youngest participant to represent India at the Youth Olympics in Nanching, China in 2014. Meanwhile, Dayne has dominated the National Championship for almost 7 years in the youth category and won his first senior category (men) Nationals at the age of 17 for which he was awarded the most promising yachtsman award. Have they not proved their talent to the local government and the SAG?
However, their journey wasn’t a sweet memory at the Games as it was marred by series of controversies and possibly every sportsperson’s worst nightmare –the lack of support by the State in providing assistance and equipments.
All that they (Coelho siblings) had asked for was two windsurfing boards costing Rs.12 to 13 lakhs. But sadly that did not come about. Instead the father was left to fend for himself and had to air dash to Singapore from Thailand to get second hand boards. And that second hand equipment failed them.
Government sports scheme and funds are meant to tap and nurture the talent but in this case Goa missed a perfect opportunity to help its children get the best facility.
It has been learnt that Donald Coelho (Coach and also father of the duo) took them 19 times to South East Asia, as that is what he could afford and from that SAG funded twice, once a coaching camp in India with a foreign coach and the other an International exposure and twice by the Indian government but that too only partially (40-60 per cent funds) and rest the family had to bear.
So, if with this limited training the Coelho siblings came this far, imagine if SAG had to nurture this talent, surely they would have been better prepared for the event.
When asked about this particular incident to Prabhudessai said he doesn’t wish to comment.
