ANFA, NFCA agree for talks

Kathmandu, January 13:

All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) and agitating Nepal Football Club Association (NFCA) today reached an agreement to hold talks to discuss their demands and elections of ANFA, informed ANFA vice president and spokesperson Lalit Krishna Shrestha.

The National Sports Council (NSC) had initiated the ice-breaking talk — mediated by NSC member secretary Jeevan Ram Shrestha — between the ANFA and the NFCA, which has been demanding the dissolution of ANFA and holding fresh elections with amendments in the ANFA statute.

ANFA President Ganesh Thapa, vice presidents Lalit Krishna Shrestha and Kumar Thapa along with other ANFA officials held talks with NFCA convenor Bijay Manandhar, Indra Man Tuladhar and Arjun Lama among others.

“As per the agreement, both the sides will nominate five-member talk teams — headed by ANFA President Thapa and NFCA convenor Manandhar — by January 17 to discuss the demands putforth by the agitators, league format, ANFA statute and elections,” said ANFA spokesperson Shrestha.

“After a week-long discussion between the talk teams, a joint meeting will be held with the National Sports Council authorities on January 25,” he added. The NSC has given March 28 deadline to the football governing body in Nepal to hold fresh elections.