Balgopal declared fit to play professional football

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, July 29: Balgopal Maharjan, Nepal’s famous footballer, has been declared fit to play professional football. The ace footballer received the fitness cetificate following his thorough heart examination by cardiologist and heart specialists.

Balgopal, who went Bangladesh to play club football last month on a cotract with Brothers Union Club, complained about pain at the right side of chest during the practice on June 27. After few days check ups and rests, he was hospitalized on July 8 at the CCU of Dhaka’s Bang Bandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.

He came back to Nepal on July 19 after he was advised by doctors in Bangladesh that he should go abroad for medical check-up. As the medical facility was available in Kathmandu for any kind of heart ailment, Balgopal preferred to undergo all the check-up at the Kathmandu based Norvic-Escorts Health Care Centre where TMT and C.A.G. examinations of his hearts were performed.

After the examination and treatment there, Balgopal was declared fit to continue his football career by Dr. B. Rawat, a consultant cardiologist of the Norvic health centre. Dr. Rawat has mentioned that Balgopal’s heart is in normal condition.

"He was referred to this hospital for Coronary Angiogram to rule out Coronary Artery Disease. His Coronary angiogram done on July 25th showed normal coronaries with normal left ventricle," Dr.Rawat said in his report.

According to Balgopal, there was a grave misunderstanding regarding his health condition back in Nepal and a letter of Nepalese Embassy in Dhaka caused it all.

The letter sent by the Embassy to National Sports Council and all Nepal Football Association wrongly mentioned that Balgopal had been critically ill. "The baseless news which got printed in July 11 newspapers has given wrong impression about my health condition to the football fans of Nepal," Balgopal said.

"But according to the consultant cardiologist Dr. Rawat, my heart condition is normal and I have also been declared fit to play profession football." he said.

Balgopal and other two Nepalese booters, Hari Khadka and Basant Thapa went to Bangladesh on a contract with Dhaka’s Brothers Union Football Club. Under the agreement, the club offered them 1300 US dollars per month as remuneration.

Balgopal and others Nepalese footballers reached Dhaka on June 18 and had played three matches on June 23, 26 and 28. The Brothere Union won two matches and lost one. Unluckily, Balgopal felt pain in the right side of his chest during the training session and was taken to private clinics for check-up and later was hospitalized in Dhaka’s Bang Bandhu Medical University before he came to Nepal.