Kathmandu, June 25:

Five A Division Clubs threatened to boycott the professional football unless the concerned authorities mend their ways.

Representatives of the five clubs disclosed their decision at a press meet here today. Manang Marsyangdi Club (MMC), Sankata Club, Ranipokhari Corner Team (RCT), Boys Union Club (BUC) and Machhindra Club sought amendments in the ANFA (All Nepal Football Association) bylaws and also asked to create financially conducive environment for the clubs.

Indraman Tuladhar (Sankata president), Bodh Bahadur Raut (former BUC president), Sunil Kapali (Machhindra president), Bijay Manandhar (RCT president) and Chhiring Lopsang Gurung (MMC coach) represented their clubs at the programme.

Representatives of the clubs raised a serious concern over the recent controversies in football association. “Such controversies have created uncertainty among the football fraternity,” read their joint press release.

Speaking on the occasion Sankata president Tuladhar said that investing millions of rupees under such uncertainty and chaos was too risky. Referring to New Road Team, which came up with a budget of around five million rupees for the coming season, Tuladhar said, “It makes no sense investing such a huge amount where one can at best get only half the investment.”

“We want the end of uncertainty in football and seek a firm step to consolidate the whole structure whereby nobody can destabilise the sport anymore,” Tuladhar added. “We have decided to opt out of the professional football until we feel secured of investing our money.”

Indicating towards the recent turmoil, the club members were also furious that ANFA had been neglecting them while taking decisions. “ANFA has been negotiating with various agitating people and authorities who have hardly any connection with the game but we, the backbone of football, were never consulted in any cases,” Tuladhar said.

Meanwhile, RCT president Manandhar informed that his club had asked Raju Shahi to withdraw from the ANFA executive committee. “I disclose here and now that we are calling back Shahi from the ANFA,” said Manandhar. RCT secretary Shahi is an elected ANFA member.