LALITPUR, OCT 17 -
All Nepal Football Association ( ANFA
) is mulling ways to deal with impending Youth and Sports Ministry
order of barring four of its office bearers including President Ganesh
Thapa from exercising their authorities for the next two months.
The PAC had on Monday reminded the Youth and Sports minister
Purushottam Paudel to ensure the ministry follow its September 28
directive to “put on hold” the authorities of Anfa officials. The PAC
had first issued the directive after “preliminary investigation
indicated misappropriation of funds” in Anfa over the years. On Monday,
it pinpointed Anfa President (Thapa), General Secretary (Dhirendra
Pradhan), Treasurer (Birat Jung Shahi) and a person that oversaw the
construction of Anfa Academy building. Anfa indicated the person
overseeing the construction project as its vice-president Lalit Krishna
Shrestha on Thursday.
“We heard the report from media about our impending suspension and were
verbally notified by the ministry on Wednesday,” informed Anfa
president Thapa. “We tried to persuade minister Paudel and the National
Sports Council Member Secretary Yubaraj Lama during our meeting at the
ministry but to our dismay they expressed helplessness over the issue.
“They said they were sure of our innocence but are obliged to follow the
PAC directive.
The ministry has offered us three options and we are discussing on the
ways to deal with it properly,” said Thapa. “The options are such that
if we follow those directives it will breach the national and
international football code. We are still trying to find a safe passage
out from the current uncertainty but more or less we are left with no
choice other than to ignore it.”
Thapa said while he respects and supports any investigation, he is
worried about the future of Nepali football as Fifa and Afc will never
tolerate government intervention and can impose international
suspension.
The Anfa president also lashed out on a handful of person including a
breakaway faction for bringing the Nepali football into such a
situation. The PAC had originally acted on the complaint filed by two
Anfa Vice-Presidents Karma Tshering Sherpa and Bijay Narayan Manandhar.
“We are cooperating and will cooperate any investigation but urge the
concerned authorities not to linger the case as it will derail the
football activities,” said the Anfa president.
“We are still in the mix as to why such directives have to be made in
the first place. We have submitted all the required documents that prove
our innocence and it can take no more than a few days to come to the
conclusion.” Thapa also challenged that he and his fellow officials will
immediately step down immediately if any one proves them guilty of
anything.
Anfa CEO Indra Man Tuladhar said even after informing the ministry of
Nepal risking suspension from world and regional football governing body
— Fifa and Afc — due to the recent development, Paudel offered them
with three options.
“The first option is that the four officials should step down and
replace them with new ones. The second is that the ministry will force
the four officials themselves out and the third is also to replace those
officials,” said Tuladhar.
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