BCCI plans a Com, but Goan cricketers want Admin probing GCA scams
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 17 June 2016 10:38 IST
The BCCI has decided to appoint a committee to look after day-to-day functioning of the Goa Cricket Association, but local cricketers want a committee that would probe into the whole functioning of the GCA.
“I am sure it would lead to more skeletons falling out of the cupboard”, says Namdev Phadte, Goa’s one-time ace cricketer.
The BCCI is compelled to act after three top office bearers of the GCA – president Chetan Desai, secretary Vinod Phadke and treasurer Akbar Mullah are sent behind the bars on forgery and cheating charges in an Rs 3.13 crore scandal.
“Perhaps this is the first time in the history of Indian cricket that all three top office bearers are in the jail”, observes Dr Shekhar Salkar, former president of the GCA.
He demands that Desai be also suspended as the chairman of the marketing team of the BCCI, following his arrest.
Ajay Shirke, the BCCI secretary, yesterday announced in Kolkata that India’s apex cricket controlling body would appoint a committee to continue its commitment to look after the interest of cricket and cricketers.
But Salkar holds BCCI solely responsible for the present situation where cricket is defamed and cricketers find themselves completely insecure in Goa.
According to him, all his complaints about the ongoing malpractices in the GCA to the BCCI including former chairman Shashank Manohar were completely neglected by the national authority.
Vilas Desai, on whose complaint the Goa police have arrested the high profile trio, now reiterates their demand to appoint the administrator and probe into financial transactions of the GCA.
Former cricketer Phadte adds to it, demanding that the administrator should be accompanied by at least two cricketers.
“We have reached such shameful situation because the GCA has always been represented by such (arrested) people who have never played cricket. They are interested only in money games and not the real game”, says Phadte.
Dr Salkar, who has been consistently voicing out against GCA corruption, demands that Goa government should appoint the administrator if the BCCI does not take initiative in this regard.
Hemant Angle, former Ranaji player and a cricket coach, feels the arrest is not an achievement but a beginning of the process of cleaning up the GCA.
He wants the money siphoned by the corrupt elements to be recovered and spent on the development of cricket in Goa.
The ball had started rolling once again with Angle’s intervention application filed before the Supreme Court, which is presently hearing the BCCI matter based on the Lodha Commission report.
