That was how the then Annapurna Club came into being, which is now known as Rani Pokhari Corner Team (RCT). The RCT Football Club, which has made professional image after the restoration of democracy in the country, has recorded six victories in the Martyrs Memorial A Division League. It has the golden experience of winning various knock-out titles.
Unfortunately, the RCT which succeeded to make the golden history of presenting itself as an oldest club of the country had been relegated to B Division League.
Another football club New Road Team (NRT), contemporary of the RCT, was established around 80 years ago. It always played from A Division but decided not to organize any football events once it was demoted into the second division. The RCT has decided not to play further more years showing huge financial losses. The Club that has recorded victories in the A Division League for four times was automatically relegated to B Division after it stopped participating any football matches showing the shortage of necessary fund.
Growing disputes between ANFA and clubs
All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has taken action against the RCT football club and charged a fine of Rs 500,000 for not participating in the Ncell Cup held last year. The RCT Football Club has the effect of the action in it and that it relegated to B Division, said the Club's Officials. The ANFA also cut three points of the team.
"We did not play the game as the club had received the formal notice about the Ncell Championship only 10 days before the match though ANFA had to inform any team one months prior the date for the championship," said Chairman of the RCT Sureshkaji Shakya.
Our Club had been the victim of discriminatory treatment from the ANFA, blamed Chairman Shakya. He claimed that ANFA has a strategy of sidelining the clubs that are not in favour of the Association.
ANFA also taken action against Himalayan Sherpa Football Club, Friends Football Club besides the RCT. ANFA had taken action against the clubs for boycotting the meeting called by football governing body.
Nepali football sector was defamed after some clubs held a press meet violating the sports laws even without having any discussions with the ANFA, said CEO of the ANFA and Chairman of Sankata Football Club Indraman Tuladhar. ANFA had also taken action against another club, Saraswati Football Club but it was forgiven after it came to contact soon, Tuladhar said.
However, it is a financial relief once clubs relegated to B division have no pressure to hire expensive players. RCT decided to stop football activities once it had the loss of over one million rupees. It has managed to pay the loan installment and cut down almost 40 per cent loan, currently. It still carries a loan of Rs 6 million.
Similarly, Saraswati Club has the annual income of Rs 2.5 million and it has loan of around Rs 3.5 million. Simrik Airlines Company, the main sponsor of the Club, has stopped sponsoring of late. Its income received from hoarding board is also stopped with the Kathmandu metropolis decision to remove hoarding boards in the city. It is also passing through financial crisis for it failed to manage the clubs running expenses, said Chairman of the Club Sikchit Parajuli.
ANFA increased the prize amount of the national league to Rs 50 to Rs 60 million from this year. With this, the players' attraction to football has been increased. ANFA Acting Chairman Lalit Krishna Shrestha said it is compulsory to increase the prize amount for the professional competition and development of the football sector. Those who failed to stand them to professional competition blame ANFA by making one another excuses, he added.
Officials of the clubs say the prize of the National League and A Division League is higher compared to the overall football sectors' professionalism. They said the ANFA's decision to increase the prize money would only give benefit some rich clubs and renowned players. If the whole sector of the football was to be promoted, the ANFA should decrease the prize amount but increase the budget it has been providing to the clubs.
NRT General Secretary Binaya Pradhan complained that the ANFA is aware that the clubs are passing through acute financial crisis but took immature decision of increasing prize money instead. It should have thought to save the clubs that contributed in the national football sector for long, he added. ANFA should bring programmes that help clubs to afford their players for over nine months, Pradhan said.
Likewise, Chairman of the Saraswati Club Parajuli said "The clubs that produces players should be supported to make national team powerful and expect good result. Clubs should be saved even by decreasing the prize amount, he added.
The ANFA increased the prize of National League Champion and decided to provide Rs 10 million to the first winner, Rs 5 million to the second, Rs 2.5 million to the third, and one motorcycle each to the five best players.
Similarly, the martyr's memorial A division league's winner prize has been increased to Rs.7.5 million, Rs 700,00 to the second 550,000 to the third and five motorcycles to the best five players for their excellent performances.
The ANFA decided to provide Rs 1.5 million to the clubs that would participate in the away match in the muffosil with an objective to increase the facilities to the football clubs, said Shrestha. He suggests that the clubs should also extend their public relation, find sponsors, increase members, and run the clubs by professionals than by volunteers which helps increase the income source and professional protection of clubs.
Moreover, the Nepali football has failed to be promoted as most of the clubs have no football grounds of their own and suffer through acute budget crisis except some departmental clubs.
Surge in sponsorship helping football thrive outside capital
--Dipendra Sapkota/RSS
