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South Asian Film Festival in Goa from Fri (June 27) to Mon (June 30)
At Kala Academy, and ESG, Panaji, Goa
http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2008-June/076384.html
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VIBE!
Dirt, Grit and Vision
By Ethel Da Costa
Are key ingredients to sustain a passion for motor-sports, says the
outspoken President of the Goa Motor Sports Association (GMSA), Ashley
Gomes. But will the Goa government support this vision? Asks ETHEL DA COSTA.
Think motor-sports in Goa and one face looms large. Ashley Gomes, a man who
has single-handedly raised the bar for motor-sports in Goa through sheer
grit, determination and passion for the sports. Head honcho of Gomes Sports
Academy (GSA), the Academy holds exclusive rights from the Goa Motor Sports
Association (GMSA) as the only governing body for motor-sports in Goa under
the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) to organize off-road racing championships
in Goa. Supported by a team of highly experienced individuals as members,
Gomes' calling card has been his close association and appointment with
Youth Stream (the company which organizes the world championship across 17
nations across the globe), as their sole partner to host the first ever FIM
World Motocross Championship in India, likely to be held in Goa in 2009.
Gung-ho though Gomes is at the prospect of Goa going international if the
project comes to light, one cannot help but wonder if this vision will hold
water in Goa. What with governments coming and going with no long-term
blueprint for the development of the State, leave alone development of
sports? Ashley Gomes speaks to VIBE! Herald.
Ethel: What events has the GMSA conducted so far?
Gomes: The MRF National Supercross Championship in Panjim (2001, 2002); TVS
Motocross Mountain Challenge in Calangute (2003); Three rounds of TVS Goa
Gold Cup Supercross Championship in one year in Goa, which is a record in
the country. We launched the first ever Supercross Race Track in India
(2003) which is located in Candolim. Six rounds of TVS Goa Gold Cup
Supercross Championship (2004), Supercross Race at Mobor - Cavellosim,
Supercross Race at Navelim, Flood light race at Chandor. For the first time
we successfully managed to fuse Carnival and Supercross at the Mapusa
Carnival 2008. It dazzled every body in Mapusa. I must mention that this
feat would not have been possible without the wholehearted support of the
Mapusa Municipal Council. Today, our riders are participating at the
National level and there is no doubt we are the best in India.
Ethel: Do you think the Government has done enough for the development and
growth of motor-sports in Goa?
Gomes: Why just motor-sports, we must take all sports disciplines for that
matter, as they are all inter-connected, because the government of Goa funds
them all. We must also look at a larger picture towards the overall progress
of our State. Recently I approached the Sports Minister of Goa on two
different occasions to pursue the cause of motor-sports promotions in Goa.
He sounded very positive, but also did not hesitate to say that the "SAG has
no funds," due to which I broached the topic of Goa hosting the National
Games with a budget of Rs 500 crores! I tried to convince him that if Goa
was going to spend Rs. 500 crores to host the National Games, then
motor-sports will stand to gain nothing as motor-sports is not a part of the
National Games. Why should motor-sports be left out? I understand we cannot
change the rules of the National Games and try to include motor-sports, but
all I'm saying is please be rational in understanding the facts. The
government just cannot leave us out in the cold!?
Ethel: Can you elaborate?
Gomes: There are so many different disciplines of sports in Goa that do not
even attract a few hundred people to watch the tournaments. There are some
games that are not even heard of in Goa, but yet the government will have to
spend crore of rupees in building infrastructure in all the sports
disciplines involved in the National Games, or else we will not be allowed
to host the same. Recently, my company was granted the rights of hosting the
first ever World Grand Prix in India. The infrastructural costs was only
around Rs 20 crores, and the income and mileage for the State was the
biggest ever opportunity for Goa. We were not given this amount as the
government claimed it was too huge a sum. Now you please tell me is Rs 500
crore a small amount to spend on bringing just the National Games to Goa? Do
you think the people of Goa will take this lying down? Are the National
Games a priority for Goa? Let us go by the facts. One should check the
accounts of the Fatorda Football Stadium. It will be shocking to learn that
this project has never recovered the amount of money spent on it till date
by way of ticket collection. Imagine building 10 more stadiums like Fatorda
for all other sports disciplines? This will no doubt prove to be a massive
burden on the State of Goa. The National Games is going to spell doom for
Goa as the maintenance of these huge stadiums will be an overburden for
sure.
Ethel: You mean to say, the government should say no to hosting the National
Games in Goa?
Gomes: No, not at all. We have to study the feasibility of this project
first. Everybody knows that the Fatorda Stadium is a football stadium, but
look at what the Goa Cricket Association has done to it. They have made
better use of the stadium than the sport it was meant to host in terms of
income generation. Kudos must be given to the Goa Cricket Association (GCA)
as they have managed to get the highest income via tickets for one-day
cricket matches by using the facilities of the stadium. Leave aside the
scams that took place during the event, one thing is for sure, the GCA
proved that this stadium was capable of getting good income for our State.
What have the GFA done? All they do is boast that football is the number
one sport of Goa. Yes, there is no doubt football is the most widely played
sport in our State, but the fact remains that in the 80's the stadium used
to witness packed capacities even during local club matches. Today, even if
the best teams in India play, the stadium is half empty. The latest news is
that the government is going to spend an additional Rs 25 crores just to
build the Bandodkar Football Stadium in Panjim. We already have over a
hundred football grounds and three to four professional football stadiums
spread all across Goa. Why is the need for more? Please don't misunderstand
me. I am not just motor-sports crazy. Any sport in general excites me. But
what needs to be understood here is, `Are we adopting the right approach?'
`Are these projects economically viable?' for Goa to spend so much money?
Most of the associations, despite provision of basic infrastructure, have
not yet managed to make their sport a career lucrative venture. Look at
motor-sports. Despite no funds from SAG to our association, we have done a
lot for our State through the motor-sports academy. SAG has till date never
supported the Academy with funds since its inception. Yet today, we have
made Goa the hottest favourite for all motor-sports disciplines attracting
major corporate to host one of their racing events in our State. Today, the
best racers in the country to the likes of Yogesh Barguje (Pune), Vijay
Kumar (Bangalore), Nippender Jassy (Delhi), Mohamad Azghar (Mysore) are
riding for Goa Racing, and I think that proves my above mentioned point.
Today we are the champions of India. What has the government given us? It's
high time our local government wakes up to these facts. The earlier the
better.
Ethel: What changes do you look forward to, if Goa is to become the mecca of
sports?
Gomes: First we need to study the standard and level of each discipline of
the sport. Then we need to have a proper and well-planned systematic graph
for the growth all sports disciplines. Each sport has one association
dedicated to the growth of the particular discipline. There is no doubt the
SAG has bestowed upon each one of them the responsibility to grow their
particular brand of sports. All assistance is given financially by SAG by
way of yearly grants for hosting National events, State events, etc. And
yet, all associations are not on par with each other. There is a huge gap
between the standard of each sport in Goa. Why is this so? The SAG needs to
solve this problem first, and then we can say we are ready to host the
National Games in Goa. I also think the SAG has to provide all necessary
basic infrastructure that each association needs with a one time financial
assistance, and not every year grants. All associations have to be made
accountable and should take responsibility to sustain and grow one's sport.
The Goa government has already spent crores of rupees over the years on
building sports infrastructure. Goa is proud to have good standard
professional football stadiums and over 100 football grounds across the
State, including three professional swimming pools, indoor stadiums for
badminton, table tennis, chess, carom, judo, boxing, gymnasiums, etc. And
yet, why are there very few takers for sports in our State? Sports should be
made a lucrative career. I do not blame the local associations, as they are
not in a position to do long term planning, as the funds given by the SAG
are only for short-term events. All that is shortsighted ends up as a
shortsighted vision too. All successive governments have been doing the same
over the years. Except once there was some ray of hope in 2004, when Mathany
Saldanha was the Tourism/Sports minister of Goa. That was the only time he
put his foot down and said, "Let us look at the larger picture. We should
develop sports on a long-term basis and stop this trend of short-term
financial grants. Once grants are given to each association individually
they must be able to sustain themselves and the sport." He was absolutely
right, but alas he could not realise his/our dreams, which would have been
the best thing that had ever happened to sports promotions in our State. I
feel whichever government comes to power, must look at sports with a
long-term vision, and use sports infrastructure to boost tourism.
Ethel: What has sports got to do with tourism?
Gomes: Look at Olympics, or the World Cup. Every country dreams of hosting
this event. Why? The income is tremendous for the entire country and so is
the media mileage. And in sports, there is nothing bigger that that, except
the Formula F1 and Moto Grand Prix, which I hope will also become a reality
in India soon. How I dream that it is hosted in our state. That will be the
day when Goa will be opened out to the world instantly. The national games
will also be a good venture for Goa if the above-mentioned steps are
followed in a systematic manner. The government must aid all the sports
associations of Goa. There is scope for everyone to grow. There are so many
local senior sports personalities who have a lot of experience in one's
particular sport and would want to start training camps in that particular
sport. Why is the government not helping them to make a living even after
retirement? The youth from all across India want to seek their careers in
our State. They love Goa, as the State offers a holiday-cum-career break for
them. And Goa must make take full advantage of this. Look at how many
hospitality courses connected with tourism have started in Goa, why not
professional training sports academies? This will definitely set a good and
healthy trend amongst our youth if Goa is made a hot destination for sports
careers and not just famous for cheap booze and bikini babes that attract
tourism income for our State. I was born and brought up in what was once a
beautiful and quite coastal village called Calangute. Today, the future of
our youth especially on the tourism belts is totally at risk. We have to
promote sports vigorously and try and inculcate a sporting culture amongst
our young before its too late.
Ethel: Lately, unknown associations have suddenly sprung up from nowhere,
with no experience or credentials, claiming themselves to be authorised
motor-sports organisers. These associations are also known to collect huge
amounts of money from the public. Comment.
Gomes: I have to say it's a very dangerous trend, which has just started in
Goa. I guess it's mainly because of the money involved and not the sport,
and the government/people must realize the seriousness of it. A few months
ago, there was a Supercross race held in South Goa, where the Chief Minister
and the local MLA were also present. For the first time in the history of
motor-sports in India, a rider allegedly died due to the negligence of the
organizers. Inexperienced clubs should not be allowed to organize racing
events, which need the highest level of professionalism and dedication.
These incidents put Goa to shame before the motor-sports fraternity in
India. One must not forget that it has taken the GMSA over two decades to
build up Goa as the hub of motor-sports in India. (ENDS)
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The above article appeared in the June 27, 2008 edition of the Vibe!, an
entertainment and lifestyle weekly magazine (Herald, Goa)
