PANJIM: The Ethics Committee of the Goa Football Association on Saturday submitted the report following their extensive investigation after several matches that were red flagged in the Goa Professional League during the 2019-2020 season.
In a press release, the football governing body stated that the result of match no. 44 between Panjim Footballers and Sporting Clube de Goa is nullified and Sporting Clube de Goa are docked 3 points and 3 goals from their final tally.
“The GFA Ethics Committee held that there was grave conflict of interest for the match nos. 44 and 116 played between SCG and Panjim Footballers and therefore it is presumed that the match no.44 was in all probabilities fixed with the sole purpose of enabling Sporting Clube de Goa to top the Table of Goa Professional League for the season 2019-2020,” it read.
The Committee ruled that under no circumstances could the GFA and/or its executive committee declare joint winners of a professional league that was abandoned due to an ongoing pandemic and with 13 matches yet to be played to conclude the tournament.
The Committee also observed that the representatives of the teams who have been jointly declared as winners of GPL of 2019-2020 were presiding over the Executive Committee Meeting that was held on September 29, 2020 when the resolution was passed declaring the two teams Churchill Brothers Football Club (CBFC) and Sporting Clube de Goa (SCG) as joint winners of the season 2019-2020.
The Committee also nullified the decision and resolution taken at the GFA Executive committee meeting held on September 29, 2020 declaring and awarding the 2019-2020 GPL title to Sporting Clube de Goa (SCG) and Churchill Brothers Football Club (CBFC) as joint winners as being unprecedented and unethical as the league was abandoned leaving no scope for declaring a winner.
The Committee directed the GFA to review and rework the standings of the teams in the GPL 2019-2020 as on March 17, 2020 in view of match No.44 being declared as a fixed match in all probabilities considering the grave conflict of interest displayed by the officials and Executive committee members of the SCG and Panjim Footballers.
Anthony Vaz suspended, fined: The Committee also suspended Anthony Vaz (manager of Panjim Footballers) for the season 2019-2020 from all football related activities under the aegis of the GFA and the AIFF for a period of three months from the date of this order for violating Articles 13, 15, 18 and 19(2) of the GFA Ethics Code 2021.
“Mr Anthony Vaz is fined Rs 10,000 to be paid to the GFA within a period of one month from the date of communication of this order, failing which the suspension shall continue until the payment of the amount is made to the GFA,” stated the State football governing body.
“Mr Anthony Vaz shall stand further suspended, in addition to the above suspension, until he provides the statement of accounts pertaining to the payments made to the players and the team officials, in the office of the GFA, in compliance of the Letter Ref No.GFA/201-22/P/911 dated 02/05/2022.”
“In the event the GFA office does not receive, from the club Panjim Footballers, the statement of accounts pertaining to the payments made to the players and the team officials within a period of one month from the date of the communication of this order, the club Panjim Footballers shall stand suspended from all football related activities under the aegis of the GFA and the AIFF for a period of six months from the date of this
order.”
Angelo Albuquerque Warned: The Committee was of the unanimous opinion that Angelo Albuquerque is guilty of violations of Articles L3, t5, 18 and 19(2) of the GFA Ethics Code 2021.
The GFA directed to issue a letter, warning Albuquerque to refrain from representing in official capacity for two parallel clubs in a given league henceforth, failing which he shall be suspended from all football related activities coming under the aegis of the GFA and the GFA organised and recognised football tournaments.
