GFA inter-village transfers cleared
HERALD SPORTS REPORTER
PANJIM, AUG 30
The Goa Football Association (GFA) today decided to release all inter-village transfer cards of 31 players, from Bardez, which were withheld following a decision arrived at the Annual General Body meting on July 18.
The decision to release the cards was taken at the Emergency Meeting which was presided over by president, Joaquim Alemao, Urban Development Minister.
The decision was arrived at after vice-president, Peter Vaz sought legal opinion. It was felt that the new rule was not interpreted as per the spirit and as such, the earlier decision to withhold transfer cards which did not complete a month (June 18 – July 18) was revoked. Consequently, all those who sought transfers upto June 30, have been cleared.
Lavinio Rebello, Bardez Zone Secretary, who had taken up the matter with the GFA Executive Committee managed to pursue the matter to its logical conclusion. “I am happy for the players as well as the clubs as the suspense is over. The players would have been the worst sufferers,” Lavino pointed out.
“With legal opinion being sought and placed by Peter, the matter of transfers has been set to rest. Most importantly, the players will now get new cards,” Lavinio remarked.
Acoording to the legal opinion, the new rule could not be made applicable from retrospective effect, much more so when the players had submitted the inter-village transfer request during the window period ending June 30.
That apart, the 31 players had already surrendered their cards to GFA and so there was no reason why the players had to go without cards. Those who had sought transfers, as such, could not be penalised for no fault of theirs, the lawyer opined.
It was also pointed out that since there were applications pending for inter-village transfer, the matter ought to have been placed at the AGM, which was not done.
The meeting was attended by Peter Vaz, secretary Savio Messias, treasurer John Dias, members Lavinio Rebello, Jayprakash Poulekar, Lovino Goes, Anju Albuquerque, Francis Fernandes.
