Kathmandu, December 11

National champion boxer Manohar Basnet has filed a petition at the Patan Appellate Court seeking the opportunity to participate in the selection tournament of the upcoming 12th South Asian Games.

He has also requested the National Sports Council to make necessary arrangement for his participation. “I am tired of going here and there with the plea of getting a chance to participate in the selection tournament,” said Basnet. “As a player, I want to play and that is my right. But some officials at the Nepal Boxing Association are unnecessarily blocking my way,” he added.

The selection tournament for the regional games is slated for Saturday.

“I will keep fighting for my right to play and if needed I will stage hunger strike,” the four-time national champion said. “When I asked about the reason of not including me in the

selection tournament, I was handed over a letter of action barring me from taking part in all NBA activities for a year,” he said. “This is ridiculous, these people are not here to develop boxing,” Basnet added.

In a letter signed by NBA President Rajiv Shrestha, the association on October 29 decided to ban Basnet for a year for breaching disciplines and launching a campaign in social media. “After I was excluded from training camp, I had written some statements in facebook four years ago.

They asked me the clarification earlier this year only after I filed a protest at the NSC against the working ways of NBA that resulted in the postponement of the special general assembly of the association.

To take revenge on me, they issued the letter two days ago just to stop me from participating in the tournament,” he added. “I do not know the reason, but NBA President Shrestha is biased towards me,” said Basnet.