FC Bardez Dubai may be getting a makeover to avoid its association with Sydney Lemos but FC Bardez Sports Club in Goa will continue to play competitively.
Sydney Lemos is the man behind the Ponzi scheme that duped thousands of UAE residents out of their hard-earned monies through his company, Exential Group. The unbelievable get-rick-quick scam ran for some time before anyone got suspicious that their return-on-investment wasn’t coming through. Lemos was arrested in December 2016, released on bail and re-arrested on January 17, 2018.
As of a few days ago, Sydney Lemos and a senior accounts specialist named Ryan de Souza have each been sentenced to 500+ years in prison. They have been sentenced one year for each case that is filed against them as a result of the scam. Sydney’s wife Valany is also rumored to have allegedly tampered with evidence, skipped the country and is now believed to be hiding in Goa. A case has been filed against her for evidence tampering as well. And even after all this, the Gulf news media has reported that the money may never be recovered.
FC Bardez Sports Club is not affiliated to or with Sydney Lemos in any way says Savio D’Souza, co-owner of the club
While FC Bardez Dubai has plans to change its identity and name, FC Bardez Sports Club’s co-owner Savio D’Souza claims that Lemos was never an owner of the club based in Goa. He also says that FC Bardez Sports Club’s image is being maligned by linking it to Lemos.
“Sydney’s name does not appear anywhere. FC Bardez is a registered club with its own bank account. You will see that Sydney’s name does not reflect in the bank accounts or in the registrar where the club was registered,” D’Souza told The Navhind Times.
“Sydney’s father is the president of the club and he has spent a lot of money on the club. That is the money given by him to the club and not his son. He could have got the money from Sydney or his other children. Maybe he has been given the money by Sydney or his other children. Ask him but do not say Sydney is the owner of the club. There is not a single picture or anything associating Sydney with the club,” said Savio.
FC Bardez Sports Club
FC Bardez Sports Club was registered as a team in Goa Football Association (GFA) Professional League in June 2016 by paying a fee of Rs 10 lakh. They managed to avoid relegation from the Goa Professional League despite financial crunches.
“There are no players left to be paid. We should know by the end of May whether a new partner will join us. If that happens, we will continue in the Goa Professional League. If not, we shall apply to play in the AIFF U-16 I-League,” said Savio.
“Please let us keep Sydney aside. If he has cheated, he will pay for it. That is not our problem and it does not affect our club,” said Savio.
The football community speaks up
There isn’t much information about FC Bardez Dubai. However, people associated with the football community had this to say:
Orlando Viegas, a former Dempo Sports Club player and presently with FC Goa’s development squad:
“I knew him in Dubai. He (Sydney) was initially the captain of FC Bardez team. Players played without being paid. Some players were employed by him. He gave up the captaincy of his team but always seemed to be a nice chap.” Viegas goes on to say he never bothered to ask him what he was doing. He used to coach the boys and play for the team too.
“I know he used to come to practice with Dempo Juniors when I was the assistant coach. I do not remember him as a good player. But, once people get rich they claim all sorts of things,” said Dempo Sports Club assistant coach Camilo Gonsalves who was Dempo Juniors coach when Sydney claimed to be part of the team.
“Sydney was once part of Sports Authority of India (SAI). He was removed because of some act of indiscipline on his part,” said a former SAI employee who knew him.
Information credit – The Navhind Times
ItsGoa/APR/KDGP
