The sports department may have lived up to its promise of disbursing prize money for last year’s National Games, which were held in Goa, by Ganesh Chaturthi. However, the news that hockey players at different levels have not been paid their Travel Allowance (TA) and Dearness Allowance (DA) for the last two years comes as a rude shock and exposes the hollowness of our sports system.
Students who aspire to represent the State in sports travelling from extreme areas of the State and covering almost 150-170 kilometres daily in to-and-fro travel from their residences to the training centre at Peddem is a shining testimony of selfless dedication to the sport. Against that, budding players opting out of practice sessions because they are not reimbursed for their travel costs for past years is a serious issue. Payments have been an issue in sports, whether it is TA, DA or amounts for non-residential diet camps.
While it is encouraging that Goans Hockey is making arrangements from time to time to foot the expenses of players since the Sports Authority of Goa does not make prior provisions, the question still lingers on why TA and DA have remained unpaid for the past two years. Where is the failure? And who should address it? Why are pre-signed blank vouchers taken from players, and is it legit?
The secretary of Goans Hockey, Farrel Furtado, in a communication to this newspaper explains that the Association sent teams in 8 categories for the nationals in 2023, but did not receive a single paisa from the SAG. She explains that members contributed to railway tickets and kit expenses from personal funds. Farrel mentions that to promote and encourage players, the Association borrowed money from its members to foot bills this year too.
Sports Minister Govind Gaude has very often made a pitch for local sportspersons and stressed the need to nurture talent. He justified outstation players representing Goa at the National Games citing it as a move to motivate and inspire local players. Goa has been boasting about sports infrastructure and the state has been taking pride in the success stories of a few athletes and players who have brought glory at national or international events.
At home, however, the dark underbelly of sports is showing. Players opting out over non-payment of basic travel allowance, or for not getting the support they seek in the course of training tells a sordid story. We can’t have such pathetic systems for sports where dues are paid after a laborious roller-coaster process of documentation which runs past several authorities for years. We need to have a system where sportspersons are paid instantly while the accounts are settled or reconciled later.
If SAG does not have the funds to fulfil commitments, then it is letting down not only the Associations but sportspersons as well. We need to have a seamless relationship between SAG, sports bodies and sportspersons, and our sporting ambition must reconcile with the department's budgetary reach. Right now, there seems to be a complete mismatch and disagreements.
Sports success does not come easily even if there is talent. It requires hard work, consistency, coaching, diet and investment of time and money. Goa has invested heavily in sports infrastructure but failed to invest in sportspersons. It is during the formative years that sporting talent needs grooming, and that costs money.
Financial uncertainties are major hurdles which could have a crippling effect on outcomes. Associations speaking openly about how the release of SAG funds has been an issue is enough to explain the emptiness of our sports hurrah. It’s time for a complete overhaul of systems.
