19/11/2021
In the Last few days an incorrect picture has been painted via social media platforms, against the Cycling Association of Goa (CAG) and specific members of the CAG by disgruntled members in the associations and cycling groups in relation to forwarding the name of Blanche Themudo to Cycling Federation of India (CFI).
At the outset we would like to clarify that the CAG has no personal bias against Blanche Themudo or any other cyclist from Goa. Cycling Association of Goa (CAG) is an affiliate of the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) and is bound by the directions received from the Cycling Federation of Goa (CFI).
The CAG conducted The All Goa Road Championship ’21 on 6th & 7th November 2021, in which the elite Category (Women) had an age criteria for participants of 19 years and above. The events consisted of Individual Time Trial & Mass Start. From these events a list of participants were selected as per the criteria and guidelines of Cycling Federation of India (CFI) who would conduct the National Road Championships and the selected participant’s willingness to travel to Kurukshetra, Haryana.
The CFI conducts events in the following age categories based broadly on UCI regulations:
Youth (14 years & below)
Sub-Junior Boys/Girls (15 & 16 years)
Men/Women Junior (17 & 18 years)
Men U 23 (19-23 years)
Men/Women Elite (19 years & above)
Men/Women Masters (35 years & above)
Blanche Themudo participated in the Goa Road Cycling Championships ’21 and placed 1st in the road races in Goa. Blanche Themundo is 38 years of age and since CAG were telephonically communicated earlier by CFI officials that the upper age limit is 35 years the CAG sought official clarification from the CFI as to age criteria vide emails dated 8th November 2021 along with a follow up on the 13th of November 2021.
The declaration of selected participants was getting delayed and participants had to make travel arrangements due to which the selection list was announced on 13th November 2021 by CAG without her name, pending official confirmation from the Cycling Federation of India which was received by CAG only on 15th November 2021.
The Executive Committee of CAG received a mail from Blanche Themudo on Sunday, 14th November 2021 at 05:27 pm for the first time stating her intentions of filing a petition against non-inclusion and gave the CAG one day to reply. Surprisingly without waiting for a reply to her mail at 10:04 am on Monday, 15th November CAG was served with a legal notice by Blanche Themudo’s advocate and were given till end of day to reply. The Secretary immediately called for an extraordinary meeting of the executive committee at 02:00 pm at Mapusa to reply to the notice, during the course of the meeting the members were shocked to receive a High Court notice of petition filed by Blance Themudo against the CAG without waiting for CAG’s response to the notice, leaving the Cycling Association of Goa with no option but to appoint an advocate and appear in High Court the very next morning.
In fact even though Blanche Themudo filed a petition in the court on the 15th November 2021 and the matter was still in court, Blanche Themudo and her Equipe Team mates started a malicious smear campaign against the CAG and also started personally attacking members of the committee on whatsapp groups and social media. Since the matter was in High Court, CAG did not reply to any of these false allegations.
Even after all this CAG made another attempt by sending an email on the 16th November 2021, once again asking the Cycling Federation of India who is organising the National Championship if the name of Blanche Themudo could be included in the CAG’s Selection list. The CFI specifically replied that the age criteria is 19-35 and that she would be considered for participation in Masters category that will be held later in the calendar year.
Blanche’s Petition was heard by the court and the Honourable Court has directed CAG to send the name of Blanche Themundo based on the CFI circular dated 14th September 2021 and not on the communication received from the CFI thereafter. CAG has complied with the High Court directive by forwarding her name accordingly.
It is amply clear from the above that CAG had the best of intentions for cyclists from Goa and made several attempts to include the name of Blanche Themudo in the National Selection list.
The above is well documented and is stated in the reply to the legal petition filed by CAG in the Honourable High Court. Since the matter was in High Court CAG earlier refrained from making any comments against the false propaganda spread by disgruntled elements on social media groups.
The Cycling Association of Goa (CAG) wishes Blanche Themudo and 15 other participants selected the very best at the National Road Racing Competition to be held at Kurukshetra, Haryana.
