Punches and Hooks
Of 9th SAF Games and Thapa’s happiness

Narayan Upadhyay

Nepalese sports, it seems, have run out of its luck this year. First, the fifth National Games were to take place from June 2, 2001 but the games could not take off because of the royal tragedy. All the preparations for the games went into the dust. After many hassles, National Sports Council affiliated 14 sports associations held national games on their own in a run up to the preparations to the South Asian Federation Games.

As the country was all set to leave for the 9th SAF Games, terrorists’ dastardly attacks on New York and Washington happened. The attacks not only forced many organisers either put off or postpone many international events but also jeopardized the chances of holding South Asia’s biennial game show.

As the region’s sports lovers wait with abated breath, the new develoments at Pakistan, the host of the 9th SAG Games, where the USA is likely to keep its base to strike on Afghanistan, are sure to affect any prospect of hosting the SAF Games being participated by about three thousand people. Any new ‘unthinkable’ event in all its likelihood would make the 9th SAF Games one of victims.

The fear of sports lovers ran higher when Indians postponed the much hyped Afro-Asian Games as well as Davis Cup matches both for the security reasons and as the mark of respect for those who perished in the terrorist attacks. And now Indian sports arenas are abuzze with India’s withdrawal from Pakistan’s SAF Games, again because of security reasons. India, who lost its about three hundred people in attacks in New York, may not be willing to participate or organise any of sports events for some time.

If India, the South Asia’s sports powerhouse pulls out of the Pakistan SAF, then the events will loose its weight and teeth. Sports-wise, even after the games are held without Indian players’ presence, records and victories registered by players would also lose their glitters and shines. Since SAF Games are unthinkable without the powerhouse India, Pakistan may also feel either to call off or postpone the game until the dust of terrorist attacks settles in the South Asia that has suddenly been turned into a hotbed by Afghanistan’s alleged protection of Osama bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of terrorist attacks of September 11. What the country’s sports lovers now want to know is that whether the security bug that has bitten our Southern neighbour would do so to Nepal.

Is Thapa really happy ?

The estranged All Nepal Football President Thapa exuded his confidence that the Nepalese football will get a positive direction after a probe commission formed to investigate his financial activities during his five year term as ANFA president finally made its report public a week ago.

Thapa’s happiness seems to have emanated from the fact that the probe committee’s exoneration to him in some vital corruption charges such as building the ANFA complex. However, he has been found guilty of releasing heavy cash advances during his whole five year terms. The advances have not yet been refunded to ANFA. He had also indulged in a forgery by enacting a fake construction company under whose name he used to draw money from FIFA. Despite all these corruption charges against Thapa, advocate Ram Krishna Nirala failed to establish the facts regarding how much money Thapa’s ANFA used to receive from FIFA and AFC. Both FIFA and AFC turned down probe committee’s request for information about their financial assistance to Thapa.

The corruption case against him seems to have weakened following the probe committee’s inability to find out the amount of assistance Thapa received from Asian and World Soccer bodies. If you do not know how much money he used to get, then how come you can say that he is actually indulged in financial irregularities and how can you frame a case against him in the court of justice?

Thapa is also happy about probe committee’s advice to NSC to end the ad hoc-ism in ANFA and start the process of elections to end uncertainties in Nepalese football. Thapa, who has been backed by AFC and FIFA, might have thought the elections may give him the chance once again to become undisputed leader of Nepalese football. But going by new indications, it is likely that there will not be any elections for ANFA executive body in near future.

While many names are emerging to capture the post of ANFA president, Thapa is also troubled by rumors that his colleagues are going to desert him and join the hands with erstwhile foes to form a new ANFA body.

Some days ago, NSC Member Secretary himself expressed his willingness to head ANFA’s new ad hoc committee by dethroning Geeta Rana, the current ANFA president who rejoices the government recognition. Rana is said to have left no stones unturned in remaining to her post. She is also believed to be using her powerful political connection to chase away whoever comes closer to her. The fight is really on for Nepal’s football governing body. In such a situation, the beleaguered Thapa seems to have no answer that how he will be able to catapult him to the position of an undisputed ANFA’s President, who will have the backing of government too.

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