Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Goa Football Association (GFA) has issued a detailed statement responding to allegations made in the wake of the tragic death of footballer Dailon Carvalho, asserting that player safety remains a top priority while stressing that the Association cannot be held solely responsible for operational arrangements at Inter Village football tournaments.
Expressing deep condolences to Carvalho’s family, teammates and the football fraternity, the GFA said it was saddened by attempts to attribute responsibility to the Association without understanding how grassroots football is organised in Goa.
The GFA clarified that Inter Village tournaments are organised by independent village clubs and organising committees, while the Association provides regulatory oversight, fixtures, referees and disciplinary governance.
Highlighting the scale of football in the state, the Association said over 60 Inter Village tournaments are held annually. During the previous season, 64 tournaments comprising 981 matches were conducted, while the GFA itself organised 1,354 official matches across 15 competitions.
The Association said expecting a dedicated ambulance with advanced life support at every match was financially impractical, noting that hiring a private ambulance equipped with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and trained paramedics costs between ₹6,000 and ₹8,000 per match, resulting in expenditure running into several crores every season.
The GFA also pointed out that government emergency ambulances are meant for public emergencies and cannot be stationed exclusively at football venues across the state.
Referring to medical emergencies such as sudden cardiac arrest, the Association said immediate CPR, early use of an AED and trained first responders are often more critical than the mere presence of an ambulance.
The GFA announced that it is developing a comprehensive emergency response framework for grassroots football, focusing on training club officials, organisers and volunteers in first aid, CPR and AED use. Through its Medical Committee, the Association will conduct First Aid and CPR training programmes for clubs and organisers in August.
The Association added that it has already made pre-competition medical tests mandatory for all players over the past two years.
The GFA concluded by urging clubs, organisers, government authorities, medical professionals and the football fraternity to work together to develop practical and sustainable safety protocols, while reiterating its commitment to improving player welfare and extending condolences to the family of Dailon Carvalho.
