PANAJI
Churchill Alemao, Farrel Furtado e Gracias, Xavier Marquis, Dexter Pereira and Elvis Gracias are the life members of Goans Hockey as per the list prepared by Goans Hockey Executive Committee and given to the Returning Officer ahead of the now postponed April 6 elections.
The list which has the sign of Joey Rodrigues also shows the names of the clubs eligible to vote for the upcoming elections and those who cannot.
According to sources, the list of eligible clubs will undergo a change now that the president’s election has been postponed.
But are life members of Goans Hockey eligible to vote, certainly not, said a few member clubs who raised objections to the same which forced the postponement of the President’s election.
In fact, sources pointed out that the constitution of Goans Hockey was amended at the Extraordinary General Body Meeting held on September 8, 2022 at the Manohar Parrikar Indoor Stadium, Navelim taking into consideration the Sports Code requirements in mind.
“Life Members will be Honorary Members of the Annual General Body and also the Executive Board without any voting Rights,” the amendment read.
Of the list of the clubs circulated, 16 clubs are registered with Goans Hockey, nine clubs from South Goa along with a District Association while seven clubs and a North District Association are part of the list from North.
Out of the clubs, six registered clubs from each district have sent the names of the persons who were to cast the votes for the President elections as representatives of the respective clubs,
The clubs list reads as Goa Hockey Promoters, Innovation Sports, Majorda Hockey Club, Maina Sports Club, Integrated Welfare Trust, Bambina Recreational Club, Navelim Hockey Club, Guddi Sports Club, Star Sports Cultural Club and Hockey South.
The North Goa clubs are Alto Porvorim Sports and Cultural Club, Crozen Society, Don Bosco Oratory Sports and Cultural Club, Goa Maverick's Sports and Cultural Club, Stars of Satari, San Antonio Warriors and Young Sports Club along with North Goa District Association.
No names have been mentioned against Bambina Recreational Club, Navelim Hockey Club and Guddi Sports Club, for the persons who were supposed to vote at the elections. The same is the case with North Goa District association and Alto Porvorim Sports and Cultural Club.
It was not immediately known whether the clubs have been demoted as associate members without voting rights as per the Goans Hockey constitution.
According to the constitution, Clubs who are seeking affiliation to Goans Hockey will be “admitted as Associate Members, to be granted Permanent Membership the Club will have to conduct Hockey Tournaments or participate in the State Championships. And the existing clubs who have not participated in the state championships or who have not held their elections will be downgraded to Associate Member.”
The clubs seldom get downgraded, in fact, hockey supporters pointed out that except for Guddi Sports Club, all other South Goa clubs are just on paper and for voting rights with a view to win elections and have control over the hockey affairs in the state and seldom take part in the competitions.
How they manage to hold on to their affiliation with Goans Hockey is a good guess as it can be.
