Sports fraternity pays tribute to Waiba

KATHMANDU, JUNE 29

Various personalities from sports fraternity paid last tribute to national wushu player Birman Waiba at the National Sports Council today.

The Tribhuvan Army Club player Waiba, 28, passed away at his residence in Bethanchowk Rural Municipality of Kavre district on Sunday. Minister for Youth and Sports Jagat Bahadur Sunar and Vice-president of National Sports Council Pitamber Timsina draped Waiba’s body with the national flag, while Member Secretary Ramesh Kumar Silwal offered the NSC flag. His body was kept at the NSC covered hall for final tribute. He was cremated at Swoyambhu on Monday.

High ranking officials from Nepali Army, NSC department chiefs and staff, President of Nepal National and International Players

Association Deepak Shrestha, former NSC Treasurer Meen Krishna Maharjan, wushu and kyokushin karate players and coaches among others paid tribute to Waiba. A unit of Nepali Army gave guard of honour to Waiba.

Waiba was found dead in his room when the family members looked for him after he did not wake up until late in the morning. Waiba had qualified for the 18th Asian Games after winning gold medal in NSC Championship but he could not take part in the 2018 event held in Indonesia due to internal conflict of the Nepal Wushu Federation. Waiba played kyokushin karate before switching to wushu.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on June 30, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.