MARGAO
Caitano Fernandes has been elected as the president of Goa Football Association (GFA) after he beat Savio Alemao, son of former president Churchill Alemao, by 36 votes in the elections held in the city on Sunday.
The FC Tuem president garnered 83 votes for a comfortable victory over his nearest rival Alemao, who polled 47 votes. The third candidate in the presidential race, Welvyn Menezes received 29 votes.
Antonio Pango beat stiff competition from Filomeno Costa to be re-elected as the vice-president, South. Pango polled 44 votes to beat Costa (38 votes), a police inspector and president of Sporting Club of Davorlim, by six votes. Another incumbent, Jonathan De Souza was elected as vice-president, North. De Souza, head of technical operations at FC Goa, received 39 votes to defeat Dominic Pereira (23 votes) and Victor Fernandes (15 votes).
Fernandes' panel swept the elections, winning 18 of the 21 posts, winning the poll for both vice-presidents, all five posts in Bardez zone, while missing out on just one post each in Salcete and Mormugao. Pango has been elected for a record sixth term while De Sousa, the man instrumental in bringing down former chief Churchill Alemao, gets the powerful vice-president post in the North.
Andrew Ferrao (58 votes) and Francicso Nunes (51) were elected to the two posts in Mormugao zone as Adlear D'Cruz (35 votes) was defeated. All four members for Ilhas zone -- Agee Almeida, Anthony Vaz, Mauriciao Almeida and Sanjiv Nagvekar were elected unopposed. In Bardez zone, Laxman Hadfadkar (49 votes), Omkar Vaigankar (56 votes), Praveen Dhabolkar and Uday Lingudkar (37 votes) were elected as members. In Salcete, Patwin Fizardo (56 votes) polled the most votes, while Constancio Rodrigues (54 votes), Anthony Fernandes (37 votes), Cosme Oliveira 46 votes), Jaju Fernandes (40 votes), Ravindra Cabral (45 votes) and Schubert Furtado (45 votes) were also elected to the seven members' posts.
The new president had already released his vision document for the GFA which included relaying of the artificial pitch at Duler within six months, grant in aid scheme for village clubs, a tie-up with GFDC for youth development, an improvement in the leagues and a complete overhaul of women’s and youth football. He also promised an insurance scheme for referees and team officials as well as decentralisation of player registrations by opening offices in Duler, Vasco and Margao in addition to Panaji.
