Mungod the Winners!

Contact is taking a holiday!

Contact is taking a break after 25 years of bringing you news of Tibet and Tibetan issues. We are celebrating our 25 years by bringing you the story of Contact and the people who have made it happen, and our archive is still there for you to access at any time, and below you can read the story of Contact, how it came into being and the wonderful reflections of the people who have made it happen over the years.

When and how Contact will re-emerge and evolve will be determined by those who become involved.

By Tenzin Samten / April 11, 2018;

Winners
Photo: Photo/Kalsang Jigme/Inframe

The Doeguling Youth Sports Association team from Mungod Tibetan settlement has taken the gold cup and cash prize at the 24th Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial (GCM) Gold Cup Football tournament, beating runners up Gangtok with one goal in the tournament finale on April 10.

Phurpa from Gangtok FC was awarded the best player of the tournament.

Mrs Asha Reddy, a long time Tibet supporter who sponsored the prize money for the tournament, and the Tibetan Chief Representative of South zone, Choephel Thupten, attended the final match as the Chief Guests.

The GCM Gold Cup Football tournament, which was held from March 31 to April 10, saw 19 teams in the initial line up and was held at Dekyi Larsoe football field in Bylakuppee Tibetan settlement in Karnataka, south India.GCM is the biggest sporting event in the Tibetan exile community across the world. Teams from various Tibetan communities across India, including Ladakh, took part, along with teams from Nepal and Canada.

This year’s winner took home a cash prize of INR 120,000 [$1,840 / £1,300] as well as the Gold Cup, while the runner up was awarded INR 80,000, [$1,230/£865] together with their cup.

The GCM is played annually in memory of the great mother of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Diki Tsering.

Finale Match

The tournament has been organised since 2003 by the Tibetan National Sports Association (TNSA) based in Dharamshala. They select players from the GCM to play in the Tibetan National Football Team – the official team representing Tibet in international tournaments.