High-level initiatives underway to lift ANFA’s suspension: Minister Pokharel

KATHMANDU: Minister for Education and Sports Sasmit Pokharel has said that high-level efforts are underway to lift the suspension imposed by FIFA on the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA).

Minister Pokharel said this while speaking in the meeting of the House of Representatives on Monday.

He said that the Nepal Sports Council has directed to conduct the hierarchical elections by amending the statute as per the provisions of the National Sports Development Act, 2077 and the National Sports Development Regulations, 2079. Minister Pokharel said that the ANFA was warned time and again after the ANFA went ahead with the general assembly and election process without following the directives of the council and the ANFA was suspended as per the decision of the working committee on March 26.

“The notice of suspension was received from FIFA considering the directive given by the council to ANFA as a third-party directive. I would like to request you to inform that the suspension can be lifted soon as the period of suspension has not been fixed and there is a high-level effort from the Government of Nepal to lift the suspension,” he said.

He also informed the assembly that no international football tournament will be held in Nepal after the suspension. He also said that the government is working to improve the community education in the country. He also expressed his commitment to issue the Education Act by incorporating the suggestions of the stakeholders to solve the problems in school education.

Minister Pokharel said, “The Council has sought approval from the Council to hold the election on February 12, 2082 as the working procedure of the then working committee of the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) was till July 20, 2083 and the Council has sought approval to hold the election on February 12, 2082,” Minister Pokharel said, adding, “The Council had directed the Council to hold the tier-level elections with amendment to the statute of the Association as per the provisions of the National Sports Development Act, 2077 and the National Sports Development Regulations-2079 (Second Amendment) and the decision of the Executive Committee of the Association was suspended as per the decision of the Executive Committee of the Association on March 23.” The suspension was lifted on May 15, 2083 as per the sub-section 2 of Section 29 of the Act. ’