By Tendar Tsering
DHARAMSHALA September 30: The 17th Gyalyum Chemo Memorial Gold Cup (GCMGC) Football Tournament will enter into its quarterfinal stage tomorrow with today’s final round robin matches completing the list of the last 8 teams.
The 17th GCMGC which began on September 26 at the Doeguling Tibetan Settlement of Mundgod, in the south Indian state of Karnataka has been drawing large crowds and interest from Tibetans all over.
14 teams from India and Nepal are participating in the most popular sporting event in the Tibetan exile community.
The tournament had kicked off amid great fanfare and revelry as thousands of spectators cheered on their teams during the opening ceremony march past.
Kundeling Taktsak Rinpoche had presided over as the chief guest along with other prominent guests and enthusiasts including Tashi Phuntsok, the Chief South Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Kalsang Dhondup, executive secretary of Tibetan National Sports Association (TNSA) told Phayul that members of the Doeguling Youth and Sports Association had played a vital role in the successful preparation of the tournament.
“The matches till now have all been fiercely contested and played in a sporting manner,” Dhondup said. “We all are looking forward for the knock out matches”.
The 7 remaining teams vying for the trophy are Doeguling FC (Mundgod), Dhondupling FC (Clement Town), TDL FC (Bylakuppe), Rabgayling FC (Hunsur), Varanasi FC, Phagshing FC (Nepal), Golladhalla FC (Bylakuppe).
Today’s match between TSAM FC (Chennai) and Dhondeling FC (Kollegal) to fill the final post in the last 8 was washed away and rescheduled for tomorrow.
The first quarterfinals tomorrow will be played between Doeguling FC (Mundgod)and Rabgayling FC (Hunsur) while the second quarterfinals will see Varanasi FC take on Dhondupling FC (Clement Town).
The GCMGC is the most popular football tournament in the exile Tibetan community. It was initially organised in 1981 as a “club level tournament in memory of the late mother of the XIVth Dalai Lama.”
The 16th GCMGC was played in the largest Tibetan settlement of Byakuppe, Karnataka state and the trophy was lifted by the Dhondupling football club.
The final match will be played on October 4.
