FC Goa first team will return to their base Salvador Do Mundo Panchayat Ground after assurances of police protection, the club said in a statement on Monday, December 6.
"The Club had temporarily moved its first team activities away from the ground for the past week fearing a possible breach in bio-bubble protocols. At the current time, FC Goa would like to further convey that the First Team will be returning to Salvador Do Mundo Panchayat Ground with assurances of police protection now in place should the need arise to protect against a bio bubble breach," the club said in a statement.
On November 28, FC Goa was forced out of their frim Salvador Do Mundo by the Panchayat, which had dug up a concrete pitch for cricket in the middle of two grounds and unilaterally decided to discontinue the existing three-year agreement.
The ground has been used by FC Goa as their base of operations and apart from first-team training, academy teams like their U-14 and U-18 teams also train at the same venue.
The Gaurs said that the club wants to continue its community initiatives to grow football at the grassroots. "FC Goa would like to communicate that the club continues to keep its community initiatives active at the Salvador do Mundo Panchayat Ground with coaching for the U14 and U18 teams of Sporting Club of Porvorim and Grassroots festivals being conducted at the premises at no cost to the participants. The club continues to also look after the ground maintenance as per the terms of our MoU with the Panchayat," the statement said.
"The club also takes this opportunity to openly invite all the residents of Salvador do Mundo to engage in conversation with FC Goa officials in regards to the project at the Football Ground," the statement further said.
FC Goa also believes that a fair representation of the matter was not put forth to the residents. "The last Gram Sabha meeting where the partnership between FC Goa and the Panchayat was discussed didn’t see a representative of the Club present at the venue," FC Goa statement read.
The Gaurs are currently practising at the Sesa FA ground in Sirsaim.