KATHMANDU, Jan 1: Stating that there have been huge financial irregularities within the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), the presidents of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur and Dhading football associations have urged the authorities to investigate the matter. 

Organizing a press meet in Kathmandu on Monday, the district chapter presidents have accused the ANFA on different grounds, listing them under 14 points. They have blamed the ANFA of misappropriating big sums of money while organizing international tournaments. Despite announcing that it will establish new football academies in different district, the ANFA has spent money on an old academy, according to the presidents.

Birat Jung Shahi of Kathmandu District Football Association, Gautam Sujakhu of Bhaktapur District Football Association, Dipak Khatiwada of Dhading District Football Association, and former President of Lalitpur District Football Association Purusottam Thapa accused the ANFA of irregularities.

President Sukhaju demanded the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the National Sports Council (NSC) and the international football associations to keep a close eye on the current activities of the ANFA. 

“There were big irregularities in the U-14 and U-16 tournaments of AFC. It can be seen that the ANFA took $85 per head from the AFC, and only spent $65. Where the remaining money went, no one has a clue,” Sukhaju said, “Few days back, we had unveiled audio tapes as proof of the irregularities.

Representatives from different district football associations have been threatened on various grounds. We are trying to make the sports authorities take some action against the ANFA.”

According to the district chapter presidents, the current ANFA leaders also tried to keep the voters in closed camps in different parts of India, spent a big sum of money on their air tickets, and carried out various other irregularities.

The most notable blame the officials have put on the ANFA leadership was that they even threatened to kill the members of the election committee.

Earlier, a presidential candidate of ANFA, Mani Kunwar, had made similar claims about irregularities happening during the elections. He had withdrawn his candidacy at the last moment. Kunwar was not present during Wednesday’s press meet.

The district presidents accused the current ANFA President Karma Tshering Sherpa and his team members including Pankaj Bikram Nemwang of irregularities in the elections, and asked the national and international bodies to take action against them. 

The tape that the district presidents released recently contained voices of ANFA’s honorary president Tashi Ghale, general secretary Indra Man Tuladhar, treasurer Deepak Khati, and members Madhu Sudan Upadhayaya and Dawa Lama.
 

 
• ANFA
 
• Nepal