MARGAO:The Manohar Parrikar Indoor Stadium in Navelim has become a centre of controversy after a wedding reception held last weekend caused damage to the badminton court.
Athletes and sports enthusiasts have criticised the mismanagement of the post-event cleanup, with scratches on the expensive wooden flooring and debris strewn about.
Describing the scene as ‘absolutely pathetic’, a sportsperson, said, “The organizers’ lack of care is appalling. They should have prioritised removing the furniture and decorations before the carpet. Instead, they did the opposite, leaving heavy items directly on the sensitive sports flooring.”
This incident has reignited the ongoing debate about the appropriateness of using sports complexes for non-athletic events.
Despite previous assurances from Sports Minister Govind Gaude that strict protective measures would be implemented—including the use of double-layered mats and on-site supervision by engineers—the current state of the stadium casts doubt on the efficacy of these protocols.
Images circulated by vigilant sports enthusiasts revealed the aftermath, with event staff frantically dismantling decorations the following day. A notice announced the stadium’s closure from August 23 to 25, yet visitors on the morning of August 25 encountered a facility in shambles.
A group of sports enthusiasts plan to file a Public Interest Litigation and lodge complaints with both the Sports Minister and stadium authorities to prevent future damage and preserve the venue for its intended purpose.
The group said what happened last weekend raised important questions about what is the priority of the sports department, as in are they okay to dilute the preservation of specialised athletic infrastructure in the name of revenue generation even if it meant damaging the facility.
While they have called for a complete ban on such events in sports complexes, others added that as a rule, if the facility is used by any organiser for a sporting event, hefty fines should be imposed on them if any damage is caused to the facility, what they feel should have been done for the organisers of the wedding that took place.
