The gold cup
Photo: Phayul
The 21st Gyalyum Chemo Memorial Gold Cup (GCMGC) football tournament was played out from May 30 to June 10.
Thousands of GCM fans gathered at TCV school football ground
Photo: internet
The biggest sporting event in the Tibetan Exile Community, The GCMGC football tournament kicked off at Upper Tibetan Children’s Village School football ground in Dharamshala. There were one team each from the United States, Canada and Europe, three teams from Nepal and twenty one teams from India making a total of28qualifying teams. The participating teams gave an impressive and entertaining display of quality football to thousands of Tibetan football lovers, with much sportsmanship spirit shown.
The final match was played between Mundgod FC and Tashiling Pokhara FC in front of over 4,000 spectators. Mundgod FC, one of the youngest teams in the tournament, won the match and was awarded the GCMCG trophy together with the INR 100,000 cash prize. The defending champions Tashiling Pokhara conceded two goals to lose the match in a neck-and-neck contest.
The winners of the 2015 GCM poses with Sikyong Lobsang Sangay
Photo: Facebook
Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, the elected political leader of Tibetan people, was in the audience for the finale as the chief guest. He congratulated all the participating teams for making this tournament a success and for conducting it in a fair and sporting spirit. He also mentioned the importance of promoting sports in the Tibetan exile community as a way of improving general health and also to foster unity between the Tibetan communities scattered throughout the world.
A glimpse of a match
Photo: Phayul
The GCMGC football tournament is organised every year by the Tibetan National Sports Association (TNSA) in memory of the late Great Mother (Gyalyum Chemo) of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The general secretary of TNSA, Mr Kalsang Phuntsok, has expressed his satisfaction with the successful completion of 21st GCMGC tournament, overall improvement in the standards of the Tibetan football and the favorable support from the general public.
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