ANFA approves annual budget, sets AGM date

LALITPUR, JUNE 1

The executive committee meeting today approved the budget of Rs 70 million for the upcoming fiscal year apart from deciding the date of the annual general assembly.

The eight-hour-long virtual meeting, chaired by president Karma Tsering Sherpa, approved the action taken against Lalitpur District Football Association President Purushottam Thapa and also decided to distribute relief package to the stakeholders.

“We had four agendas today and we had a very fruitful discussion before reaching to consensus,” said ANFA Spokesperson Kiran Rai. According to Rai, the meeting finalised the annual budget of Rs 70.41 million prepared by Treasurer Rabindra Joshi and that would be presented in the upcoming general assembly for approval. “We will sit together again to finalise plans and programmes,” he added. The meeting also decided to hold the 19th annual general assembly on August 31. “If the situation remains unfavourable to assemble the representatives due to the coronavirus pandemic, we have decided to organise the AGM online using the virtual platforms approved by the FIFA and AFC,” said Rai in a release.

The ANFA decided to distribute Rs 15,000 each to 48 district FAs, four member bodies, 14 A division clubs, 12 B division clubs, 14 C division clubs, the ANFA-approved tournament organisers in mofussil, all the coaches and staff affiliated to ANFA, and 30 referees and referee assessors of Martyrs Memorial A Division League. The meeting also agreed to hand over same amount to the 35 members each of national men and women teams as diet expenses.

The relief package was recommended by the three-member committee headed by ANFA Member Ratna Kumar Shrestha.

The meeting also approved the action against Lalitpur FA president Thapa and decided to forward the case to disciplinary committee for further investigation.

ANFA President Sherpa had suspended Thapa for breaching statute of the association.

“As Thapa’s explanation was not satisfactory, the meeting approved President’s decision to suspend him and send the matter to disciplinary committee for further investigation,” the release added. Thapa was accused of using foul language on ANFA Day in a viber group of clubs’ representatives.

Rai said that the meeting also discussed on the views of President Sherpa regarding the grassroots programme conducted in four districts of Province-2.

“We had a general discussion on the matter but no decision was reached regarding the issue,” Rai said. Talking to an online portal last week, Sherpa had said that the Terai region lacked nationality and that the ANFA along with Nepali Army had been conducting grassroots programme in four districts to lure kids from the region into the sport and also teach them the national anthem and love towards the country.

Sources close to ANFA said that a couple of executive committee officials suggested president Sherpa of forming a probe committee and stay away from the association until the final verdict. The issue has reached the Prime Minister’s Office after four district FAs registered protest letter against Sherpa, while Samajbadi Party Nepal lawmaker Bimal Prasad Srivastav raised the matter at the House of Representatives.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on June 2, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.

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