TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The Goa Football Association has taken a very serious note of the violence which erupted in the Third Division play-off match at Chicalim ground on November 2, wherein the match referee was badly injured and other GFA officials manhandled after Chicalim Youth Club lost their match to United Club of Bogmalo, after two of the their players were given marching orders by the referee.
The Goa Football Association went into an emergency meeting today and have suspended Chicalim Youth Club, the offending club and five of their players – captain Jose Rodrigues, Rahul Naik, Sushant Borkar, Sameen Borkar and Sachin Boskar. The Borkars are believed to be brothers. Both Jose Rodrigues and Sushant Borkar were booked by the referee and had to leave the ground before play resumed.
The referee identified the accused players who were donning the colours of their club while he was being assaulted.
It is believed that the club had written to the GFA condemning the action of their players and sought an apology from the referee. The club is believed to have stated that what happened on November 2 is disgraceful and very bad for the image of the game.
The suspension of the club will now be placed before the Executive Committee meeting on November 15, for ratification, while the Disciplinary Committee will be meeting on November 7, to take up the suspension of the five players. The match officials including the referee Jose Dias, who was assaulted, besides the five accused players, have been summoned to be present for the Disciplinary Committee meeting.
Meanwhile the Emergency Committee of GFA today seized the registration cards of the players and also condemned the manhandling of the Mormugao Zone Secretary Lawrence Gomes.
