The much awaited Football league in the sub continent is all set to kick off it’s seventh edition on the 20th of November. But, some unexpected dark clouds of complications could be surrounding the ISL.
Goa has been granted the opportunity to host the festival of football in India during the Coronavirus Pandemic. All matches will be played behind closed doors across 3 venues. A Bengaluru based agency has been contracted to look after the logistics this season.
This step made by the league was not at all appreciated by the Goans and the General Secretary of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) Sankalp Amonkar has warned the league officials to change the procedures or else the entire competition will be disrupted.
“In the COVID pandemic, it was duty of the government to provide business to locals. ISL is one such big tournament, which would have helped local vendors and contractors to earn their livelihood. However, the government awarded contract to non-Goan firm,” he told the Herald.
He has demanded that contracts should be handed over to the local agencies to help them earn their livelihood. The contract includes transportation for all the teams, hotel accommodation, ground staff, security, electrical items and all essentials.
“We give four days time to the government to terminate all the contracts issued to outsiders and give preference to locals. Failure to do so, would force Congress to disrupt the entire ISL tournament. We won’t let any matches take place,” Amonkar said.
The Goa Pradesh Congress committee (GPCC) has also warned the league that all the activities related to the competition will be affected if their demands are not fulfilled.
The Indian Top Flight starts on November 20th with Kerala Blasters and the newly formed entity ATK MohunBagan playing the opener.