To start with, Nepal should work to end the jinx of bowing out of the first round of almost every game

As only to be expected, Nepal’s performance in the ongoing 31st Olympic Games being held in Rio de Jeneiro, Brazil, was dismal. Nepali sportspersons have a lot to do if they are expected to perform well at this international level.

However, swimmer Shirish Gurung was able to break the national record in the 100 metre free style. Swimmer Gaurika Singh, who was the youngest player in this Olympics, could not maintain her own national record.

But she is just 13 and can make much progress in the future. Meanwhile, Archer Jit Bahadur Moktan lost to an Indian archer. Moktan was unfortunate to have to compete with a world class Indian archer.

Judoka Phupu Lhamu Khatri lost the first round bout. She was however able to play for the full match against an opponent who has already won two golds. Three Nepalese players are yet to compete — two athletes and one taekwondist.

They are not expected to win a medal but if they improve on their own past record or beat national ones, that should be taken as an achievement.

There are only seven players representing Nepal but there are 25 officials going to Rio with them. There is also much wrangling about the selection of the Nepali coaches. The performance of Nepali sportspersons at the international level is nothing much to write home about.

The jumbo size of officials visiting almost every Olympic Games has often come under criticism. Nepal’s participation in every Olympic Games has been just for the sake of participation, not with a view to winning a medal.

This mindset on the part of the sports authorities in the country should change if Nepal is to make any headway in sports at international level.

Our sportspersons are expected to be playing for a win. There is also much politics behind the scene in the selection of the players and the coaches. However, five of the Nepali coaches who have travelled to Brazil are former Olympians and deserve to be part of the Nepali delegation to Rio.

Our sportspersons have mostly put on a very poor performance although they have managed to secure some medals in regional tournaments like the South Asian Games.

But they are not to blame. The government and the sports authorities have not been able to scout for talent, to groom them, to provide the right environment and the facilities for them and to ensure that they do not have to worry about anything but concentrate on their games.

More investments and infrastructure are also needed which are lacking at present. We may have to look ahead two or three decades in order to produce sportspersons who are of the international calibre. Talent must be spotted and nurtured from early on so that they can be able to compete and preferably also win.

No doubt, this would be asking too much at present but if we have the will it is possible that the Nepali sportspersons will be able to win medals. Nepal could do even better in individual sporting events like in the martial arts.

Nepal had in the past done commendably well in games like taekwondo, but this strength could not be built upon. Nepal should select a limited number of games on which it should concentrate and develop particularly well, with the Olympics in view.

To start with, Nepal should work to end the jinx of bowing out of the first round of almost every game.

Keep promises

The Department of Education (DoE) has directed all 75 district education offices (DEOs) and five regional education directorates to see that all higher secondary schools provide the scholarships to the recipients as promised and do not charge any extra money.

Indeed, the mandatory scholarships, which constitute a certain percentage of the total number of seats, are provided by all higher secondary schools likewise under various categories, including students who come from remote hilly areas, who are Janajatis, who have excellent academic career, and so on.

But it has been seen that the schools often charge money under one head or another, such as annual fee, computer fee, and lab fee.

Besides, the schools also provide, on their own, full or partial scholarships or discounts to students on the basis of their performance in the SLC examination and the school entrance test, or through connection, or just to increase the enrollments.

These scholarships should also be provided as promised. Often schools also try to charge more or full fees in Grade Twelve than that agreed upon at the time of admission in Grade Eleven. This is an example of foul play.