AFC bans five Nepali footballers for life

KATHMANDU: The Asian Football Confederation has banned four Nepali footballers and an official for life for their involvement in match fixing.

National team skipper Sagar Thapa, vice-captain Sandeep Rai, goalkeeper Ritesh Thapa and former defender Bikash Singh Chhtery along with coach Anjan KC, who have been facing subversion charge at the Special Court and are currently on bail, were handed life ban by the Asian football governing body.

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"We have not received any letter regarding the ban but our media officer Ayush Khadka informed us about the AFC decision," said All Nepal Football Association CEO Indra Man Tuladhar. "He told us that the AFC has posted its decision on its media channel," added Tuladhar.

Asked about the ANFA step, Tuladhar said they would follow the necessary process after getting the formal letter from AFC. "I do not think we will have to take further action but we will decide once we receive the letter," he added.

The AFC decision came weeks after FIFA banned ANFA President Ganesh Thapa for 10 years and slapped him a fine of $21,000 for corruption during 2010 and 2012 elections of the world governing body and series of misconduct.

The Kathmandu Metropolitan Police Range had on October 14 arrested the five footballers on charge of match-fixing in international tournaments from 2008 to 2014 and receiving hefty amounts in return.

The Office of the Attorney General has registered subversion case against them at the Special Court with a demand of life sentence as per the Crime Against the State Act 1990.

Another accused, former physiotherapist of national team Dejib Thapa is currently in the United States of America.

Following the arrests, the ANFA and AFC had provisionally suspended them from football related activities until the final verdict.