MARGAO
Despite opposition from 10 out of 19 elected executive committee members, Goa Football Association (GFA) president Churchill Alemao went ahead and nominated his daughter Valanka Alemao for the AIFF Electoral College ahead of the interim elections to the All India Football Federation.
In a letter addressed to the returning officer, the 10 GFA members said that the decision to nominate a representative of the GFA for the AIFF Electoral College was not taken by any of the executive committee members.
"We, elected members of the GFA wish to place on record that the nomination to the electoral college has not been decided at any of the Executive Committee meetings of the GFA. Since reportedly today is the last date to file nominations, and there has been no Executive Committee meeting to decide on the issue, we are construed to believe that the President Mr Churchill Alemao may nominate a person falling beyond the scope of approval, without the knowledge and decision of the Executive Committee. The same also wasn't discussed at the Annual General Body meeting of the GFA held on July 31," the members said.
"As per convention in GFA, if the president cannot be nominated, it would be fair for the senior vice president or a senior member of the Executive Committee to be nominated to the Electoral College. We request you to disregard any letter if sent from the office of the GFA regarding nomination from GFA as being without any authority of the Executive Committee of the GFA," they stated.
One of the members stated on the condition of anonymity that "the highhandedness of the president is now coming out in the open" and requested the clubs to "teach him a lesson in the forthcoming GFA elections".
"This has been the worst tenure of the GFA and Churchill has treated the association like his private property. The nomination of his daughter is a case of complete nepotism and smacks of family raj. He has completely disregarded the sanctity of the Executive Committee, who are elected by all clubs. It is very unfortunate," the member said.
When contacted, Churchill Alemao offered no comment on the matter.
