While in Nepal, it was said that all disputes regarding players´ participation had been resolved but the conspicuous absence of kabaddi players proves it wrong.[break]
Nepali kabbadi is bearing the brunt of the ongoing dispute between the National Sports Council (NSC) and the Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC). Both the bodies are blaming each other over the issue.
NOC President Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan said NSC is barring the players from competing in the Asiad. “A joint meeting of officials from the Youth and Sports Ministry, NSC, NOC and Nepal Kabaddi Association (NKA) had reached an agreement here to allow the players to compete in the Asiad. NSC was also positive about it, but the practice of saying one thing and acting on the contrary is taking its toll on the sports sector,” said Pradhan, adding, “We wanted to give exposure to the players, otherwise they will lack the motivation to continue playing.”
“We have learnt that NSC wrote letters to the Police and Army clubs to hold back their players. The departmental teams apprised us of the situation. They are only waiting for NSC´s nod,” said Sunil Rajkarnikar, president of the internationally recognized NKA. He said that the association will try its best to bring the players to China.
NSC had dissolved the NKA led by Rajkarnikar for being openly involved in a row during the 11th South Asian Games earlier this year and causing disgrace to the nation in Bangladesh. NSC had then formed a new working committee of NKA headed by Lal Kumar lama.
NSC Member Secretary Hari Babu Chaudhary said that it was Lama, not NSC, who wrote the letter of dissent. “I had told them not to get involved in disputes regarding any game right now. Maybe the kabaddi officials wrote a letter directly to the departmental teams,” said Chaudhary.
Hari Khadka, deputy in-charge of the sports department of Nepal Police Club, however, said the club didn´t send the players after receiving a letter from NSC as well. “We received letters from NSC and the NKA recognized by NSC telling us not to send the players,” said Khadka. “We have to abide by the directives from the government body,” he added.
Sports department chief of Army Club Min Dhwaj Khadka said the kabaddi players haven´t been asked to participate in the Asiad. “We have sent other players whom the NSC had demanded. Neither NSC nor NOC have sent letters to us seeking the participation of kabaddi players,” he said.
Among the 20 sports Nepal was said to compete in the Asiad, 14 were approved by NSC while six were approved by NOC.
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