Panaji: Former India midfielder Micky Fernandes has been elected president of the Goa State Football Players Association (GSFPA).




Now assistant coach at Gokulam Kerala FC, Micky received 75 votes in the association’s first elections and defeated Levino Anthony Pereira (21 votes). Of the 128 members registered with the GSFPA, 98 attended and cast their votes at Verna on Sunday.




Luis Barreto was elected vice-president (male) and Bibiano Fernandes was elected general secretary, both unopposed.




Maymol Rocky (67) edged out Michel Castanha for the vice-president (female) post, while Ramona D’Souza was elected treasurer with 50 votes, ahead of Ricardo Cardozo (42).




The newly elected office-bearers have spent years at the top level of Indian football, as players and coaches.




Micky played for Salgaocar, Sporting Clube de Goa, Mohun Bagan, Dempo and Churchill Brothers and represented India at senior level. He later moved into coaching, most notably with Vasco SC.




General secretary Bibiano Fernandes is a former India international who played for several leading Goan clubs and East Bengal. As head coach of India’s U-17 side, he won the SAFF U-15 Championship in 2017 and 2019 and guided India to three successive AFC U-17 Asian Cup qualifications.




Luis kept goal for Sporting Clube, Dempo, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting and played in the inaugural season of the Indian Super League (ISL).




Maymol needs no introduction, having represented the country on several occasions and becoming the first woman to serve as head coach of the national team. She has since coached the India U-20 women’s side and holds an AFC ‘A’ licence.




Micky and Maymol were earlier elected to represent the players’ body on the Goa Football Association (GFA) executive committee.




“Their presence on the executive committee gives Goa’s players a direct voice within the state’s governing body for the first time,” the GFA said on Sunday. “Player perspectives will now be part of decisions on the administration and development of football in the state.




The elections follow an initiative by the GFA under Article 20.3.2 of the AIFF Constitution , in line with the provisions of the National Sports Governance Act. The GSFPA has been created to give players a formal platform to raise matters concerning their welfare, development and interests.