FATORDA
India cricket captain and co-owner of FC Goa Virat Kohli on Wednesday launched the ISL club’s NGO, FC Goa Foundation, ahead of their last home game against ATK at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Fatorda here.
Forca Goa Foundation is a multi-programme NGO that provides grassroot training to children and uses football as a vehicle for positive development in the State. Kohli also unveiled a special edition jersey to support the foundation, which the team used for the match against ATK on Wednesday. The Gaurs steered away from their traditional blue home kit and sported a new jersey with the brand colours and logo of its sister organisation for the game. The India captain was in attendance to cheer the team in their last league home match of the season.
“The change in jersey is a symbolic representation of the whole club showing solidarity and pledging our continued support to creating an ecosystem. This is a unique venture for us and I am extremely happy to be a part of this journey,” Kohli said. “With the help of the Foundation, we hope to inspire more children irrespective of gender to take support and train and groom them into thorough professionals.”
Akshay Tandon, the club’s president and co-owner, said: “It is with great pride and a deep sense of commitment that we have launched the Forca Goa Foundation today. We are thankful to Virat. We hope that the foundation can help inspire individuals and communities to work towards a better future.”
Jill Ferguson, MD, Forca Goa Foundation, said, “The Forca Goa Foundation is incredibly grateful to have a sister organisation like FC Goa, a club with a vision for the future that believes in investing in the youth. Currently we have nine home-grown players in the first team squad, and I believe through the efforts of the Foundation’s holistic grassroots programmes we will be able to increase that number over time. I believe that together both FC Goa and the Forca Goa Foundation, with the support of our community, can make a lasting difference in the lives of young Goans.”
