GCMGC FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT 2010 : REPORT

Brief Report on the 2010 -16th GCMGC (Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup) Football Tournament at Bylakuppe

As per the resolution of 2009 Tibetan National Sports Association (TNSA) Governing Body, the executive committee made a decision that the 2010 GCMGC Football Tournament should be organized in the Tibetan Settlement of Bylakuppe. The process of having the 16th GCMGC in Bylakuppe was initiated by TNSA in October of 2009. After a few correspondences with representatives of Bylakuppe Tibetan Settlement about their concerns, an agreement was finally reached to organize the 2010 GCMGC Football Tournament in September of that year. The deadline for the registration of various teams was set for 15th July 2010. Eighteen teams across Tibetans in India, Nepal and Canada met the terms and conditions for participation in the tournament.

It was Bylakuppe’s first time hosting the GCMGC football tournament and it was held from 9th to 19th September, 2010. The eighteen teams were divided into six pools and each pool has three teams. After playing the league matches among each pool, the winner of each pool and the two best of 2nd place winners were qualified for the, Quarter Finals round. The eight teams in the Quarter Finals were Bylakuppe FC, Doeguling FC Mundgod, Gulladhalha FC Bylakuppe, Rabling FC Hunsur, TSAM Chennai, Tashiling FC Pokhara, Dhondupling FC Clement Town and TCV United Bylakuppe.

Two semifinals were held in one day, Doeguling FC Mundgod defeated TashiLing FC Pokhara by 2-1 score and Dhondupling FC Clement Town defeated Rabling FC Hunsur by 1-0 score.

The finals game was packed with crowds but unfortunately many of them had entered the ground without purchasing tickets. The Deputy Commissioner of Mysore district was invited as the Chief Guest for this final game but was not able to attend due to a meeting. However, we were able to invite the Sera Mey Monastary’s Abbot as the Chief Guest on a short notice.

The final game was witnessed by Abbots of major monasteries, Aunty Asha Reddy of Chennai, two representatives of each Tibetan settlement and other dignitaries. Madam Asha Reddy of Chennai who is a great supporter to the Tibetan cause in general and Tibetan Sports in particular, sponsored the winner’s cash prize of Rs.50,000 (fifty thousand rupees). We are very thankful to her and her family for the support and prize donation. Mr. Lhakpa Tsering, who had started his Free Tibet World tour from the United Nations Office in New York City on March 10, 2010, could made his presences during the final game.

Doeguling scored a goal early in the game and took lead by scoring another goal. But during the last minutes of the first half of the game, the Dhondupling FC rebounded and scored their first goal and hence Mundgod’s (use Doeguling again to keep it consistent) lead was cut by just one goal. The equalizer came from Dhondupling FC in the final minutes of the game when they scored their second goal to even the game. Extra-rtime could not decide the game and it had to go to a penalty shootout. Finally Dhondupling FC became the champion of 2010 GCMGC Football Tournament.

Football field: The Lugsam Cooperative Society of Bylakuppe had given the YMCA land to turn the space into a standard football field. The total expense for ground renovation was around 800,000 Indian Rupees. TNSA spent 100,000 and, AET France through the TCV Head Office donated 450,000 Indian Rupees for the project. The remaining 250,000 Indian Rupees was raised by the Bylakuppe Organizing Committee. For the first time since 1981, the GCMGC Football Tournament was played on a standard football field. Since the tournament was finished, the ground was asset to Bylakuppe Tibetan for the development of football among the Tibetan youth. On the other hand, this tournament has fulfilled the long aspiration of Bylakuppe Tibetan youth to have their own ground.

TNSA would like to thank the representatives of the Old and New Bylakuppe settlements, two chairmen of Co-operative Societies, Director and Principal of Tibetan Children's Village (TCV) School, Regional Tibetan Youth Congress and Women Association, Camp Leaders and other local organizing committee members for helping us to organize this event with great success. Without their support and cooperation, the event would not have been successful. We would also like to thank the general public for their participation and the smooth outcome of this tournament as a result.