The approval by the Goa cabinet on Thursday to lease the prestigious Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium to Dome Entertainment Private Ltd for a decade raises serious questions about Goa’s commitment to nurturing sports and athletes. While the government eyes an expected revenue of Rs 25.5 lakhs per month from this deal, one cannot help but wonder about the price the State is paying because it comes at the cost of sportsmanship in a state that has been struggling to cultivate homegrown talent.
It appears that resources are poured into building sports infrastructure without a clear strategy for talent development and without assessing the maintenance cost of facilities. The crux of Goa’s struggle lies in this lack of foresight. The Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium, once a beacon of hope for local sports and the Goa University has been constantly used for events, entertainment shows and expos. While maintenance could be an issue, such decisions signal a grim reality of the government failing miserably to nurture a robust sports culture and instead looking at revenue generation to keep the facilities running.
The approval to lease the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium is not just a contractual decision but a serious reflection of the government’s priorities. By placing commercial imperatives above sports development, the government risks marginalizing its athletes and neglecting the spirit of sportsmanship that should have been bolstered.
Sports Minister Govind Gaude’s admission regarding the high costs of maintenance leading to leasing out of venues echoes a familiar refrain. The government appears to be scrambling to find ways to offset the costs of maintaining such infrastructure, instead of fostering a vibrant sports ecosystem. While the need to cover maintenance costs is financially pragmatic, it overlooks a fundamental truth that by outsourcing sports infrastructure, a demotivating message goes out to many aspiring sportspersons in the State.
In such a case, we should not be shedding tears over sports failures. The decline in quality sportspersons is primarily why Goa is importing athletes from other states to represent it at national events. By manipulating success stories, the State is not in a position to motivate our own athletes. We need to cultivate sports ecosystems like Punjab, Haryana, and Maharashtra, which have produced champions across sports disciplines.
It is not only about facilities but also about sports culture and the sentiments of sportspersons. The swanky Manohar Parrikar Indoor Stadium at Navelim which boasts of top-class facilities including wooden flooring, has hosted private weddings and exhibitions. The Multi-purpose Complex at Fatorda has hosted more private functions than sports events. The list goes on. Such instances exemplify a concerning trend where commercial interests overshadow genuine sporting needs. Events not only jeopardize the integrity of the facilities by damaging flooring and essential equipment but also further alienate the youth from pursuing sports as a viable career.
As Goa’s sports infrastructure deteriorates under commercial strains, the question that arises is whether the State miscalculated its sports infra needs or was overambitious. Rather than investing in nurturing talent and providing local athletes with the resources they need to succeed, the department seems to have only focused on raising infrastructure which it is unable to sustain.
The decision to lease out venues undermines the vision of former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who aspired to make Goa a premier sports destination. The government must reconsider its stance and Prioritise the future of its athletes. Only by championing local talent and investing wholeheartedly in sports can Goa hope to look forward to raising champions.
