Fewer coaches, higher salary bill for SAG

PANAJI
The Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) spent Rs 58.81 crore on salaries and remuneration of coaches over five financial years from 2021-22 to 2025-26, even as its coaching strength declined from 124 to 106, according to figures furnished under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The figures reveal a contrasting trend, with the annual expenditure increasing steadily even as the number of coaches declined over the five-year period.
In 2021-22, SAG had 124 coaches and spent Rs 10.47 crore towards their salaries and remuneration. The following financial year, 2022-23, saw the number of coaches fall to 122, while expenditure increased to Rs 11.25 crore.
The upward trend continued in 2023-24, when the number of coaches declined further to 119, but the expenditure rose to Rs 11.85 crore. In 2024-25, SAG recorded 116 coaches and spent Rs 12.48 crore.
The latest figures for 2025-26 show that the coaching strength has come down to 106, while the expenditure has climbed to Rs 12.74 crore, the highest recorded in the five-year period.
A source in SAG attributed the decline in coaching strength to retirements and, in some cases, the deaths of coaches before reaching retirement age. SAG sources said no fresh recruitment of coaches had been undertaken, as some sporting disciplines already had surplus coaches. In certain non-Olympic sports, such as tennis-ball cricket, the number of coaches was considered higher than required.
A comparison between 2021-22 and 2025-26 shows that the number of coaches declined by 18, representing a reduction of approximately 14.5 per cent. However, the annual expenditure increased by approximately 21.6 per cent, from Rs 10.47 crore to Rs 12.74 crore.
The figures bring into focus questions surrounding the deployment of coaches, the distribution of coaching facilities across Goa and the reach of government-supported coaching programmes at the grassroots level. They also highlight the need to examine whether the available coaching strength is adequately distributed across talukas, sporting disciplines and training centres, particularly in rural areas where young athletes depend on government-supported facilities.
Greater transparency regarding the qualifications, appointment status, deployment, working schedules and performance outcomes of coaches engaged by SAG would also help assess how effectively the expenditure translates into coaching opportunities and sporting development for young Goans.