Ghale demands fair probe at ANFA

Honorary President of ANFA Tashi Ghale speaks during a press meet in Kathmandu on Monday, February 25, 2019. Photo: THT

Kathmandu, February 25

Honorary President of All Nepal Football Association Tashi Ghale today demanded fair investigation into multiple issues including the financial irregularities at the football governing body.

Ghale, who received interim order from Supreme Court against the sacking from the Honorary President post by the executive committee, said the ANFA leadership was going in wrong direction and that he would raise his voice against each and every wrong activity by the office bearers.

“I was against them in their wrong decision from the first meeting and the ANFA leadership revoked my post in revenge. Honorary President’s post is like a reward and it cannot be taken back,” argued Ghale at a press meet. Apart from issuing the stay order, the Supreme Court has asked defendant National Sports Council to furnish written explanation within 15 days.

“My first concern was the nomination of a foreign national as the chief of international relations and making him the official representative of the country in the FIFA Congress,” said Ghale. ANFA had appointed Nabin Pandey as the head of international relations and decided to send him as one of the three representatives in the FIFA Congress held in Russia during the World Cup.

Ghale said he also raised questions over the nominations in various posts in the ANFA executive committee. “I asked them to make certain criteria before nominating anybody in the committee. But the ANFA leadership has already appointed more than eight individuals in the post of joint general secretary going against the statute,” he claimed.

Ghale also accused the ANFA leadership of financial irregularities and demanded fair investigation from the authorities. “I have invested more than 25 years for football and I know ANFA does not pay clients in cash. But this committee has paid one million rupees in cash to Kelme and that amount came from a hotel. The issues raised by four FAs are genuine and investigation authorities must intervene in such matters,” said Ghale. Four FAs — Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur and Dhading — had accused the ANFA of fund embezzlement and working against the spirit of the statute among others.

“There are many issues to be investigated properly and the distribution of World Cup tickets is one of them. I was denied when I requested the ANFA to give me the tickets of semi-final and final matches. There are no records of ticket sales as well. The ANFA must make public the list of the persons who went to Russia to watch the World Cup in those tickets,” he demanded.

Ghale also accused the ANFA leadership of not following rules and regulations in choosing the contractors for the renovation of its office building. “ANFA has not called for any bids before handing over the contracts which is worth around Rs 250 million,” he said. “No one is allowed to misuse the funds provided by the international bodies for the development of football. As a football lover, I cannot stay back and let them go,” said Ghale.

The post Ghale demands fair probe at ANFA appeared first on The Himalayan Times.