***** Clubs banned after 118 goals are scored February 18, 2004 15:29 IST
In a damage control exercise after 118 goals were scored in a day, the Goa Football Association suspended four of its Second Division clubs for alleged match-fixing.
The four clubs - Curtorim Gymkhana, Sangolda Lightning, Wilred Leisure and Dona Paula - were suspended for a year for allegedly colluding in the final round of the Second Division Inter-zonal play-off matches in which Curtorim beat Sangolda 61-1 and Wilred beat Dona Paula 55-1.
The executive committee of the GFA, which met at an extraordinary session on Tuesday evening, recommended to the general body that the club managing committee, executive members, officials and players be further expelled for life as prescribed by football's world governing body FIFA in such instances.
Additionally, each of the four clubs was also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000. All punishments were in conformity with the existing rules and regulations governing the GFA, said Savio Messias, secretary of the GFA.
Further, all results of the Inter-Zonal Second Division league matches involving the four clubs have been declared null and void and the remaining losing semi-finalists of each zone would now be playing among themselves for a place in the first division.
"This is the first time in the history of Goan football that teams have brought such disgrace and disrepute to the game," Messias said.
The ban puts Goa's only player in the Indian junior squad, Marcelino Dias, in trouble. Dias, who represented India at the recent Bisht Cup in Thailand, was playing for Sangolda Lightning.
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