What’s cooking at Peddem Boxing Hall?

Panaji: Goan boxers headed for training at the Boxing Hall at Peddem sports complex in Mapusa were shocked at the sight of people cooking right at the entrance of the training hall.
Boxers have a dedicated hall where they train each day but Thursday morning was different.
“All the boxers were shocked. They worship the floor and touch it before starting their training routine.It was painful to see people cooking right inside. The zonal officer was immediately summoned. He apologized and said such things wont happen again,” a senior boxing official told TOI later in the day.
Boxers took pictures of the sore sight and sent it to Goa Boxing Association officials, including president Rohan Khaunte, and within a matter of minutes forced the caterer out.
Those cooking were discovered to be catering for athletes participating in the North district athletic championship, organized by the directorate of sports and youth affairs.
“The caterer in his own wisdom parked himself there. No sooner I got a call from the association, I got them removed within ten minutes. That ends the matter,” said director of sports VM Prabhudesai.
GBA officials were left wondering why the zonal officer did not instruct the
caterer to use the unused canteen at the Peddem sports complex and instead allowed them to use the boxing premises.
“Why did they have to get into the boxing hall? They could have parked themselves elsewhere. The stadium was built for development of boxing and not for cooking right at the entrance,” said another official.
The Peddem sports complex was refurbished ahead of the Lusofonia Games 2014. A new Indoor facility was built to host competitions in judo, wushu, table tennis and taekwondo, while the old hall was refurbished and used as a practice venue. The indoor hall was constructed at an estimated cost of 46.77 crore.