The deteriorating state of sports infrastructure in Goa, which the government boasts about, along with the lack of urgency to fix issues, explains the stark neglect of the sector in the State. A glaring example is the Peddem Sports Complex in Mapusa, designated as a Khelo India Centre of Excellence, which was left without power for a week. This incident underscores the broader malaise afflicting Goan sports and undermines the commitment to promoting athletic excellence. Peddem Sports Complex serves as a beacon of hope for young athletes in North Goa, offering training opportunities in badminton, boxing, judo, weightlifting, table tennis, and swimming. A power supply cut-off means that either one trains in the dark or goes without any practice sessions. In case of swimming, the pool is out of order due to a malfunctioning filtration system. We recall the sprawling SAG swimming pool near Nehru stadium, Fatorda, which has had a string of issues -- from flooring and filtration to poor water quality -- ever since it resumed operations after the extended Covid break.
The neglect is emblematic of the State’s approach to sports because there is no urgency to fix issues, nor a vision for sports excellence. The State has world-class facilities like the Manohar Parrikar Stadium in Navelim, the Shyama Prasad Mukerjee Stadium at Cujira and the athletic stadium at Bambolim, yet their utility is often compromised. These venues have been used for non-sporting events, concerts and political rallies, with the government justifying these diversions as sustainability measures. Such reasoning betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of what sports infrastructure should represent.
Around two decades ago, sport, primarily football in those days, was considered a joyful escape from school and homework. Playing in the fields was all that children could look forward to. A sports career was never an available option, nor was it preferred over academics. A lot has changed over the years, thankfully due to government support and its policies. Programmes like Khelo India have played a pivotal role in offering young athletes access to advanced training facilities and support, besides scholarships. Career opportunities in sports have opened up as reforms shifted perceptions, fostering a culture of encouragement, enabling countless enthusiasts to pursue sports professionally. The core objective of the Khelo India initiative is to identify, nurture, and support young athletes from grassroots levels, transforming India into a sporting powerhouse by 2036.
However, Goa seems to be losing sight of those Khelo India goals. We are not talking about the lone incident at Peddem, but sports in general and how the Khelo India initiative’s potential is being squandered. Goa’s sports ecosystem is marred by neglect, bureaucratic apathy, and crumbling infrastructure. Goa’s athletes are losing precious time, opportunities, and above all, motivation. Perhaps, our sports administrators have not seen how sports training is conducted in high-ranking States. Perhaps, this is because some of those who are at the helm of sports in Goa know very little about that sport. Goa needs sportspeople running the affairs of this sector, because only then can justice be done to sports. Otherwise, we would keep looking at sports as a “pastime” and keep importing athletes to represent us at the national games to hide our embarrassment, and take false pride in the medal tally.
The wider question is why does Goa, a state with a vibrant cultural identity and a youthful population, continue to lag on the sports front? Is it a lack of strategic planning, lack of focus and motivation or the lax attitude towards sports? Or is it a cocktail of all of this? Whatever the answers may be, Goa risks remaining a bystander in India’s sports arena.
