Team Herald
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PANJIM: Lenny Da Gama, who will be heading to the Tokyo Olympics as the Asian Evaluator, slammed Sports Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar for not supporting the Goa Boxing Association (GBA) for the last five years, on Wednesday.
Lenny had visited the Chief Minister at the Secretariat to present his letter of appointment for the Olympics. While Lenny said that his expenses to head to Tokyo have been paid for, the CM also promised to provide whatever financial support necessary to him.
Lenny said, “I will spend 50 % of these funds on the boxing activities in Goa to motivate aspiring boxers with prize money.”
“The CM was very considerate and had promised to do everything for boxing to encourage the development of the sport in the State,” Da Gama said.
However, Lenny lamented that the same support was not forthcoming from the Sports Department or its senior officials for the last five years, this despite repeated attempts to approach the Minister and the officials for assistance. He explained that they had invited the officials for their championship and that they had spoken to the officials about getting at least one coach for South Goa given that all eight are in North Goa.
“The Sports department owes Rs 22 lakhs to GBA via various grants that were not given to us for the last five years. I hope this can be cleared now so that GBA can start functioning again properly and the money can be spent on the training of boxers in Goa and the sport in general,” explained Da Gama.
He lamented that they have written umpteen letters to the department for repairing the stadium, which is in a dilapidated condition but there was no response.
“Ajgaonkar was not even aware about my appointment for the Olympics and has not been aware of boxing activities in the State,” he said.
“GBA has managed without government support to participate at the national level,” he added.
