PANJIM: Many athletes were left fuming following the Election Commissions decision to utilise the sports arenas for election purposes. The indoor Stadium at Campal is one such venue which has been acquired by the government for the election purposes affected many sporting associations such as badminton and table tennis.
“Unbelievable and unacceptable. How can top level IAS bureaucrats permit something like this to happen? The Campal stadium reconstructed recently with wooden flooring, and Badminton Courts are now utilised for ZP Elections. At what costs and damages? What will be the repercussions? Has anyone tried to figure this out? Extremely sad and depressing to say the least,” stated Sandeep Heble, Secretary of Goa Badminton Association.
The Table Tennis Association of Goa had scheduled their State selection trials on December 13 and 14 at Campal Indoor Stadium, which had to be postponed due to Government’s last minute decision, forcing the Association president to write to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant
“We are dismayed to know that the Election Commission has requested SAG and Directorate of Sports to hand over the stadiums to them for election purpose. The players, coaches and concerned association are working hard to get the standard of Goan players up. For this, there cannot be a break from their practice. No reasonable government authorities will allow such actions especially when alternative space is available,” stated Vero Nunes, GTTA President in his letter to Sawant.
“You are therefore kindly requested to detest allowing the stadiums to be closed for election purpose,” requested Nunes.
Not just the sporting bodies, but the sportspersons too vented their frustrations on the government’s decision to utilise the sporting arenas when they could have easily made use of the government institutions premises, which are lying vacant due to COVID pandemic.
“The wooden courts at Campal were built recently at huge costs and shockingly being misused for ZP election purposes. Lot of Government and educational premises are currently vacant now due to COVID situation which could have been easily utilised for the election purpose. To disrupt the regular activity of physical fitness and health is uncalled for and State Election commission should have looked at other alternative,” stated Deepak Mayenkar, who represented Civil Services Tournament for Goa Team on several occasions.
The Election Commission took over the venues for 12 days from December 5 to 12, with Peddem Sports Complex also being one of the venues.
“For few months, we could not play due to COVID. Now again there is a break which is disrupting our normal schedule and practice routine. We hope that in the future, stadiums will be reserved for sports only,” stated Sadiq Attar, Goa State player who represented Goa at Khelo India Games and School Nationals.
In June 2017 a similar incident had occurred wherein the Goa Badminton Association had written to then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who in return assured the Association that they would write to the Election Commission informing them that sports stadiums cannot be released for election-related work.
The Goa Badminton Association had complained to Parrikar that stadiums are kept closed whenever elections are announced, to store EVMs or conduct other election procedures.
When Herald tried to contact the concerned authorities, they were unavailable to comment
