Cyclists-Dominated New Committee Takes Charge of Cycling Association of Goa

Goa Khabar: A new committee, predominantly comprising cyclists, has taken charge of the Cycling Association of Goa (CAG), marking what the association describes as a fresh beginning for the sport in the state.

According to a media release issued by the CAG, Dr. Blanche Themudo, a national-level cyclist, has been elected unopposed as President of the Cycling Association of Goa for the 2026–30 term, following the completion of the association’s election process on Sunday, August 9.

The final list of candidates published by Returning Officer Advocate S. Y. Thali showed one valid candidate for each of the principal office-bearer positions. With no contest remaining for these posts, the election process concluded without the need for a ballot.

Speaking after taking charge, Dr. Themudo said the new committee represents a significant change in the administration of the sport.

“This is arguably the first time that a sports association in Goa will be run solely by sportspeople. Almost all the committee members are cyclists. We understand the sport and want complete transparency in the functioning of the association. We will strive to ensure that budding cyclists in Goa do not suffer in the future,” she said.

The new CAG committee comprises Vidhyanand Khandeparkar as Chairman, Neeraj Gupta as Secretary and Beena Kumari as Treasurer. Blaise Costabir and Bryan Soares have been elected Vice Presidents, while Vinayak Gaonkar and Adelina Mascarenhas will serve as Joint Secretaries.

Pusha Chatterjee, Stanley Rodrigues, Virginia Julieta Rosa and Ajay Dongre have been elected as Executive Committee members.

The elections came after a prolonged dispute over membership and voting rights within the association, particularly concerning 66 cyclists whose eligibility to participate in the electoral process had been challenged.

The Court upheld their membership, allowing them to participate in the elections and bringing greater clarity to the association’s electoral roll.

The Cycling Federation of India deputed Advocate M. K. Pasha as an observer for the election process, while the Goa Olympic Association deputed Jayesh Naik as its observer.

With the new cyclists-dominated committee taking charge, the association has emphasised transparency in its functioning and greater focus on supporting and developing budding cyclists across Goa.