Barefoot Fest 2013, India’s inaugural beach soccerchampionship kick started at the Calangute beach with 64 teams in the fray. Hostedin Goa by TransStadia, which has tied up with Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW) topromote the sport in India, the five day event comes to a close on Feb. 10 withthe top club taking home the trophy and a cash prize of Rs 75000.
Played in 75 countries within the six FIFA Confederationzones, beach soccer is a relatively young sport with Rio de Janeiro hosting thefirst Beach Soccer World Championship in 1995. And that it has touched Goanshores first, ahead of other states in India, Goans have taken full advantagewith only four outstation teams vying for honours in the competition. That topI-league teams have also fielded players in the inaugural event itself, speaksvolumes.
Speaking exclusively to The Goan, Udit Sheth, CEO and MD,TransStadia, deliberated on how this event could spur a beach soccer culturenot only in Goa but even the country. Some excerpts.
The Goan: What made you come to Goa?
Udit Sheth: Goa has got a good sports culture, a good beachand entertainment culture, which makes it an ideal place to host the event.More than that, we had worked with the Goa government and the Goa Footballdevelopment Council as knowledge partners and we are thankful to them and theGoa Football Association for their guidance.
TG: What was the response to your inaugural championship?
US: We are starting on a humble platform and are happy that64 teams are there. The I-league clubs could not send their contracted playersbecause of injuries and other commitments but they have sent their juniorsquad. We have to develop a fresh base of beach soccer talent and as Bruno(Bruno Coutinho, international footballer) mentioned, not retired players butnew talent.
TG: What’s the scope for the sport in India?
US: It’s got good scope not only in Goa but in India too,because it is a 45 minute sport. It’s got entertainment, music, it’s gotpassion, it’s got everything around it and you don’t need much infrastructure,not even shoes. I have no doubt in my mind it will not pick up.
TG: We do not have any training camps in India for beachsoccer? Your take?
US: We need to put that together. We will have moretournaments with cash prizes, then people on their own will also start practising and wanting to be part ofit. I think a lot of effort needs to beput in and it has to be multi-faceted. The GFA, GFDC will have to put up tapesand (goal) posts on many beaches. Tourism will have to say, this is not CRZviolation and you can play soccer on the beach. So a lot of people will have toput in a lot of effort for this to take off.
TG: What are your plans then to develop the sport?
US: We are here for the long run. For the next five years,we will be developing the sport over here. And let’s see where we go. It all dependson the players, how well they do and how they make the sport more professional.I can make more investment but it is for the player. They have to come and playhigh quality electrifying beach soccer.
We plan to have tournaments twice a year in Goa. We willalso have development workshops and programmes in five locations outside ofGoa, so that we develop a talent pool that is not only from the state but fromall over the country and then have a tournament between the best players. Thisthen can become an annual event here.
TG: Where do you see India in beach soccer in the nearfuture?
US: We can reach top 25 in the next two years. That’s very clearin my mind. We have the talent.
