Kathmandu, March 26:

As part for the final preparation for the Beijing Olympics, Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) bade farewell to a three-member taekwondo team including Deepak Bista here today.

Apart from Bista, the only second Nepali players to qualify for the Olympics after Sangina Baidhya, the team includes South Korean coach Kwon Hyouk Joung and Bista’s spiring partner Puspa Thapa. The team will leave for Incheon on Thursday. Bista will undergo an eight-hour rigorous training at the Incheon Physical College.

Bista was scheduled to leave for Incheon four months earlier but the inability to provide funds on the part of the National Sports Council delayed his departure to South Korea. “IOC had provided us $24,000 for the IOC Solidarity Course and we handed the sum to the team,” said the NSC member secretary and NOC general secretary Jeevan Ram Shrestha.

Shrestha, however, said that the finance ministry would soon release the fund for the trip. Shrestha said all the Nepalis are pining their hopes with Bista. “I hope you will

be able to make us proud,” added Shrestha.

Coach Joung is targetting bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics. “His (Bista) experience and skills would be key to success,” said Joung. Bista said that he would play for the country. “I will try my best to bring the honours to my country,” said emotional Bista.

Shrestha dismisses rumours

KATHMANDU: Member Secretary of the National Sports Council (NSC) Jeevan Ram Shrestha dismisses any rumours of dissolving/reforming the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) here today. “Our country is at the midst of a historical Constituent Assembly elections and there is nothing more important than this at the moment,” said Shrestha adding that election of sports associations can be taken care of later on. Although Shrestha said nothing about ANFA, he dismissed the rumours that ANFA would be dissolved for failing to hold elections as directed by the sports governing body. “We will not dissolve or reform any associations at least until the Constituent Assembly elections,” he said. — HNS