After a long-awaited period, the Indian Super League is now scheduled to begin on 20th November in the state of Goa. Considering the health protocols in place and the infrastructure needed to set up a fully functioning football league, ISL has taken some great steps to ensure the same.
However, now a fresh problem has arisen in the form of local Goan vendors not being supplied with logistical contracts and as a result of this, the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee have threatened to stop proceedings even before the league has begun.
The party believe that not all requisite components need to be outsourced to other states. And that while their state is undertaking majority responsibilities of conducting the league, the local businesses of Goa should also prosper at the same time, especially considering the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
GPCC vice-president Sankalp Amonkar is quoted as saying, “We don’t have any issues with the organisers of the ISL. We just want the Goan people to gain some benefit from the tournament. People have suffered because of the pandemic and now when games are being held here, the locals must benefit.”
This development comes a few days after Goa chief minister Dr Pramod Sawant was forced to play political mediator between transport operators and league organizers after there was a threat of legal action by the former against ISL considering they were using other vehicles for intra-state travelling.
The seventh edition of the Indian Super League will be played out across three venues in Goa – the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Fatorda, the Tilak Maidan Stadium in Vasco and the GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim.
Kerala Blasters will be taking on defending champions ATK Mohun Bagan in the inaugural game of the new season on 20th November in Bambolim. And for the sake of everybody involved, we can all hope as fans of Indian football that the league carries on with any further hassles than there already is owing to the pandemic.
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