CHANDOR: "Lord thank you for the gift of my life with football… My final goal scored is towards your celestial home". These words that best describes the life and times of Angela Gomes, catches your attention the moment you enter her home. It is also a reminder that Angelica, who played and read the game of football at a different pace, failed to read her destiny. Quick, brave and always optimistic, she got tired of departmental apathy and finally lost the will to live.
"One of the best footballer of her times, she entered the field with the aim to win every match but unfortunately lost the game of life,” revealed coach Marino Dias, who first noticed her talent and approached her at the age of 10.
Angela, who always approached the game of football with passion and excitement, couldn’t understand the games the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) officials were playing with her. She joined SAG as a Lower Division Clerk (LDC) in 1999 on daily wages, but was asked to coach upcoming sportspersons at Panjim. A year later she was transferred to Margao to coach young footballers under the guidance of Arjuna Award winner Brahmanand Sancoalcar.
"Even as a child she would compete with grown up men and beat them. She was a brave and good humoured footballer on the field and real life," revealed her uncle Anthony Fernandes.
But things began to change in 2002, when the services of six people, who joined after her were regularized, while she continued to be a daily wage earner. From then started a long struggle. " The effort, which started in February 16, 2000, became a routine. Every month she would write letters to SAG requesting them to regularise her services and change her designation and duties, but all in vain. There was no response. In desperation, she would approach the higher authorities, but they would be non-committal. This further frustrated and tired her," revealed Seby Gomes, Angela's younger brother.
Incidentally, though in the official records her name figures as a LDC, she was even sent as a coach (Goa team) for the tenth National Women's Football Tournament in 2002, organized by All India Football Federation.
Add to these her personal woes. The sole earning member in the family, she had to take care of her ailing mother and jobless younger brother. Every week, Angelica had to arrange for Rs 6000 for her mother's dialysis. “She was under tremendous pressure as she was debt ridden. She had borrowed more than Rs 3.5 lakh from friends and as was always worried about returning the money,” added Anthony. And on one Friday night, in a moment of frustration, she ate rat poison. When she was taken to the hospital, she insisted that it was a case of food poisoning. By the time she admitted to her uncle on Tuesday, it was too late. Her system had collapsed. "But she was repentant and wanted to live. She cried bitterly and said that she took the extreme step as she was depressed and frustrated with life. She profusely prayed to God asking for forgiveness, begging God to cure her, but it was too late," revealed an emotional Anthony.
The pathetic condition in which committee sportspersons like Angelica live is best revealed when her coach Dias added, "Football was her life and ultimately her life destroyed her will to live. SAG was just not interested in helping a dedicated and committed footballer like her. Her death is a big loss to football."
(Article appeared in Gomantak Times, Panjim, October 26,2006)
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