Thapa boasted a list of supporters comprising all 40 District Football Associations (DSAs), 16 of the 20 A-Division football clubs, 5 B -Division football clubs, 3 C- Division football clubs and a representative each from Referee Associations, Football Players Associations, Football Coaches´ Associations and Women´s Footballers´ Associations.
However, there departmental football teams- the Nepal Police Club (NPC), Nepal Army Club (NAC) and Armed Police Force (APF) - have remained silent. Boudhha Football club is the only A-division club that has opposed Thapa´s candidacy. Thapa´s challenger Geeta Rana, a one time president of NSC backed ANFA, has already announced her candidacy a few weeks ago.
ANFA spokesperson Lalit Krishna Shrestha, Rani Pokhari Corner Team (RCT) president Bijaya Narayan Manandhar, Himalayan Sherpa Club President Karma Tshiring Sherpa, B Division club Samajik Yuva Club President Indra Bahadur Karki, Upendra Man Singh of the Players Association, Raju Shakya of the Coaches Associations, Surendra Sikhrakar and Kalpana Piya Shrestha of the Women´s Football Players Association spoke on behalf of their respective associations and supported Thapa´s candidacy for ANFA President.
Thapa thanked all clubs and DFA representatives for the overwhelming support and said, “Now this support has put added responsibilities on my shoulders. Only a single club -- Bouddha -- has not supported me as of yet, but I believe Bouddha too will support me in the elections. Thapa also flayed the media for hyping Rana´s candidacy.
“This is a reward for my contributions to ANFA till date,|” Thapa said. Thapa accused his opponent Geeta Rana of playing dirty game in football yet again. “She is just trying to grab attention. But she will not get supporters for her candidacy. According to the ANFA statute, one needs 5 proposers and 5 supporters to file nomination. Sixty-eight out of 72 have pledged support to me today. How will she manage the needed number?”
Thapa has been successful in garnering support from the National Football Association (NFA), dissolved by the then Sports Council member- secretary Jeevan Ram Shrestha last week. The row over the statute between ANFA and NFA meant that the “A” division football league has been stalled for the last three years.
The disputes came to an end after the working committee meeting of the ANFA passed the new football statute jointly prepared by NFA and ANFA on June 26 in Chitwan. ANFA and NFA had reached a seven-point agreement in December to resolve the dispute and formed a joint statute drafting committee paving way for the elections.
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