MARGAO
Roberto Fernandes, a coach employed by the Goa Football Development Council, on Sunday alleged that he has not received his salary for the past three years after being appointed to lead its academy.
Addressing the media on Sunday, the former India stopper back said that he hasn’t been paid any remuneration by the GFDC since he resumed his services in 2020 after a forced break due to the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I took charge in 2016 and worked for two years for a salary of 53,000. But I was given a break due to the Covid-19 pandemic and rejoined in 2020. However, I have not been paid my dues and my salary has been cut by half,” Fernandes said.
The senior coach said he made several pleas to the GFDC about his non-payment of salary but it “fell on deaf ears”.
The former Salgaocar footballer said that the present chairman Brahmanand Shankhwalkar slashed his salary by 50 per cent and he was not given any employment agreement. “I am borrowing money from bank to make ends meet and sustain my family,” Fernandes said.
GFDC’s former member secretary Aleixo da Costa was present with Fernandes during the press conference. “It’s a great injustice to Roberto Fernandes that he has been treated like this by the GFDC. I will try to bring this matter to the notice of the chief minister and the sports minister,” Da Costa said. “This matter should be investigated impartially.”
GFDC responds to allegation
PANAJI: The Goa Football Development Council has released a clarification regarding the accusation by its coach Roberto Fernandes that he has not been paid his salary for the last three years.
“Sebastiao Roberto Fernandes was with GFDC as coach from 2015 to 2017. Later on 18th February 2020, he was re-appointed as coach of GFDC in the Residential Academy,” the GFDC said in a statement. “In March 2020, Covid-19 took place wherein all GFDC Centres were closed w.e.f 16th March 2020. However, all the coaches including Roberto were paid their salaries for March & April 2020.
“Further since the pandemic was still prevailing, all centres were closed and a file was moved to the Govt. by GFDC in Sept 2020 to pay coaches' salary post 30th April 2020, i.e. May 2020 to Nov 2020 wherein Roberto was paid Rs 7,586 per month for May 2020 to Nov 2020. This was due to the variation calculation as approved by DSYA (Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs).
“Further due to variations in the terms of salaries paid to the various coaches, GFDC proposed every 50% of their salary during the Covid period from Dec 2020 to May 2022. The govt has approved salary from Dec 2020 to May 2022 and accordingly, 11 months’ salary has been released to coaches who have joined GFDC and the remaining 7 months’ salary will be paid once funds are received. This payment was done to all the coaches who submitted their undertaking and accordingly joined the centres as and when it was restarted after the pandemic.
“However since the GFDC Residential Academy did not restart after the Covid-19, it was not possible to pay them the entire salary by GFDC. Hence the Academy coaches were offered salary until the academy restarts wherein academy coach Martin Femandes accepted the appointment and joined the Collem centre and similarly Harshad Zalmi also accepted the revised offer and also provided his service at various North GFDC Centres. But the revised order given to Roberto Fernandes was not accepted by him and hence he was not paid his salary during the Covid period.
“Though the GFDC Academy was not restarted, GFDC took a humanitarian stand and being a former international GFDC offered him a revised salary until the academy restarted, which he did not accept and hence he was not paid salary at that point in time.”
