MARGAO
The Goa Football Association has suspended its elite Goa Professional League sending shock waves across the football fraternity. The Association has also suspended the Vedanta Women’s League.
Anthony Pango, Vice President of GFA was shocked at the decision. “I am shocked and saddened to hear this. An executive meeting is held before any decision is taken however this time we were kept in the dark,” said Pango.
“I don’t think there was a need to stop matches when none of the players are affected with Covid. Teams are already struggling to pay the players and stopping the GPL in between is not at all good for the teams,” voiced Alvito D’Cunha, former India, Salgaocar and East Bengal attacking midfielder.
At a time when the DHS, Government of Goa has declared that the 3rd wave has already hit Goa from the December 28, 2021, the GFA seems to have taken a route of ‘prevention is better than cure’, although the GPL teams have not reported any Covid cases yet. The GFA also seems to have been influenced by the AIFF who have suspended the I-League league due to positive Covid cases in spite of the I-League teams being under a bio bubble.
“Considering that the GPL is not being played under a bio-bubble and coaches and players are travelling for training and matches every day, it seems to be a well-thought decision to postpone the GPL as the Omicron variant is known to spread rapidly. Also, the costs involved to keep the teams in a bio-bubble are huge and this would be a burden on most teams as the GFA with all the problems with the sponsors of the GPL will not be able to sustain or support a bio-bubble thereby ruling out the possibility of matches being held under closed doors,” said Patwin Fizardo, treasurer of Guirdolim Sports Club.
