Suspicious The evidence of the match fixing against Sporting Clube de Goa has no concrete basis but it is merely a conflict of interests that have brought on the suspicions.

Sporting Clube de Goa were docked three points and three goals from their 2019-20 season by the ethics committee of the Goa Football Association. This comes as a setback for the Panaji based club who were declared champions alongside Churchill Brothers in the 2019-20 season that was cut short due to the pandemic lockdown.

By Joshua George

THE Ethics Committee has announced that there is a grave conflict of interest for the match between Sporting Clube de Goa and Panjim Footballers. Sporting’s clash against Panjim Footballers was highlighted largely due to Agnelo Albuquerque, who is associated with both teams as manager and executive member, respectively. The committee is of the unanimous opinion that Angelo Albuquerque is guilty of violations under Articles L3, t5, 18 and 19(2) of the GFA Ethics Code 2021. The GFA directed to issue a letter warning Albuquerque to refrain from representing in an official capacity for two parallel clubs in a given league henceforth, failing which he will be suspended from all football-related activities coming under the aegis of the GFA and the GFA organised and recognised football tournaments.
The Ethics Committee of the Goa Football Association on Saturday, June 11, 2022 submitted a report following extensive investigation after several matches that were red flagged in the Goa Professional League during the 2019-2020 season. The State football governing body has stated that the result of match No 44 between Panjim Footballers and Sporting Clube de Goa is nullified and Sporting Clube de Goa are docked 3 points and 3 goals from their final tally. The committee directed the GFA to review the standings of the teams in the Goa Pro League 2019-2020 season as on March 17, 2020 which was when the league came to a premature stop due to the covid lockdowns.
In its report the panel said that Panjim Footballers may have underperformed due to influence of common management. Sporting Clube were incensed with the decision of ethics panel decision announced by the GFA. The club intends to file an appeal to quash and set aside the order as it indirectly and unnecessarily casts a shadow on the club and it is passed on assumptions and not concrete proof said Club Director Diogo Nathan Vaz. He asks, Why aren’t any of the other games which have been red flagged been highlighted? He further added that the club has never associated itself with anything unethical and illegal before.
The Committee also suspended Anthony Vaz (manager of Panjim Footballers) for the season 2019-2020 from all football related activities under the aegis of the GFA and the AIFF for a period of three months from the date of this order for violating Articles 13, 15, 18 and 19(2) of the GFA Ethics Code 2021. “Mr Anthony Vaz has been fined Rs10,000 to be paid to the GFA within a period of one month from the date of communication of this order, failing which the suspension shall continue until the payment of the amount is made to the GFA,” stated the State football governing body. “Mr Anthony Vaz shall stand further suspended, in addition to the above suspension, until he provides the statement of accounts pertaining to the payments made to the players and the team officials, in the office of the GFA, in compliance of the Letter Ref No.GFA/201-22/P/911 dated 02/05/2022.”
“In the event the GFA office does not receive, from the club Panjim Footballers, the statement of accounts pertaining to the payments made to the players and the team officials within a period of one month from the date of the communication of this order, the club Panjim Footballers shall stand suspended from all football related activities under the aegis of the GFA and the AIFF for a period of six months from the date of this order.”
Meanwhile the Ethical committee has also ruled that “Under no circumstances could the GFA/ its executive committee declare joint winners of a professional league that was abandoned due to an ongoing pandemic and with 13 matches yet to be played to conclude the tournament”. Sporting Clube de Goa were declared joint winners alongside Churchill Brothers in 2020”.