Players support ANFA programme

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, June 9: A host of current and past national soccer players today came forward to support the present All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) claiming that the association’s football development programme is "fine" and thereby should be given continuity.

" We all former and some of the present national players are satisfied with the football development programme being done by the present ANFA executive body," said former national player Dhirendra Pradhan in a press conference today.

The players, who were defending ANFA and its beleaguered president Ganesh Thapa who is alleged to have planned to hold ANFA elections for its executive body, made their single voice in charging those aspiring to challenge Thapa are not persons related with the game of football and thus would fail to give momentum to the development of the football in the country.

"We do not want to politics take root inside ANFA," Pradhan said. If the present crisis is not put to rest the FIFA and AFC will stop giving their financial assistance to ANFA, Raju Kaji Shakya, former Nepalese captain said.

We do not mind if the new ANFA body comes into being through a elections held in a democratic ways but would also like that the present ANFA body headed by Thapa be given one more chance, players including Shakya, Man Bahadur Malla told the media persons.

The present ANFA crisis cropped up after a Supreme Court stay order blocked the ANFA’s early elections reportedly said to have been planned to be held within next few days as against the rules of ANFA statute.

The writ petitioner against ANFA’s move to hold early elections, Geeta Rana, one of the ANFA executive members, is believed to have emerged the fiercest rival of the ANFA’s President Ganesh Thapa.The present 22-member ANFA Committee’s five-year term will expire by coming September.

Ms. Rana will not be able to run the ANFA and will fail to bring new programmes to develop Nepalese football, the players said in almost single voice.

" Running ANFA and executing various football programmes are not as easy as running the Galaxy Public School for Ms Rana," said another former player Umesh Pradhan referring Ms Rana’s profession as teacher.

All these players also vomited their wrath on Nepal Olympic Committee President Rukma Shumsher Rana who is also said to have a caustic critic of present ANFA committee.

" Mr Rana must correct his fault first and must not forget the way he held the Nepal Olympic Committee and Nepal Amateur Athletic Association’s elections few weeks back," Pradhan said hinting the "unusual ways" Rana followed to gain the presidency of both NOC and NAAA.

In today’s press conference, apart from Pradhan, Shakya Malla, Mani Shah, Rajesh Manandhar, Deepak Amatya, Rajesh Maskey and current national players Upendra Man Singh, Basant Gauchan, Sunil Tuladhar, Kumar Thapa were present.

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