FIFA hands over kits for quake victims

Kathmandu, December 29

FIFA Development Officer Shaji Prabhakaran handed over the football kits worth $100,000 to All Nepal Football Association acting president Narendra Shrestha meant for the earthquake victims.

The equipments include 335 balls, 18 bins, 196 boots, 150 mini goal posts, 144 ball bags, 20 Fair Play flags, 10 FIFA flags, five magnet boards, 20 kids playing cubes, 150 track suits, 53 jerseys, 100 Fair Play t-shirts, 145 watches, 198 referee kits, 260 bags, 150 kit bags, 200 wrist watches, 100 markers, 1,000 cones, 193 shin pads, 60 shocks, 60 shirts, 150 polo t-shirts, 200 referee jerseys and 70 huddles.

“These items need to be distributed in all the 14 affected districts by organising three programmes  grassroots, referee and coaches,” said Prabhakaran, who was a FIFA team member that had come here to assess the situation after the April 25 earthquake.

“FIFA stands by Nepal in this difficult phase and this help is a part of support for the earthquake victims,” he added. “As football is No 1 sports in Nepal, it can touch people and keep them engaged constructively.”

“We had decided to allocate different projects after the earthquake. Chyasal Stadium is one of them in which FIFA is laying artificial turf at the cost of $600,000.

And we had also sanctioned $250,000 for the reconstruction of national (Dasharath) stadium which was also damaged.

As the Nepal government is looking after that project, ANFA can use that money to construct other infrastructure,” he said.

Prabhakaran also said the FIFA would support Nepal in various other projects once the internal issues were settled. “FIFA has assured the ANFA of giving development projects but that will be possible only after the governance issues are settled,” he said.

ANFA acting president Shrestha thanked FIFA for their contribution towards helping the quake victims.

“We will organise seminars in 14 earthquake affected districts and distribute these equipments,” he said. “FIFA has assured us of help in development sector and we are committed to settle all the internal issues within three to six months through general assembly in coordination with FIFA and AFC,” he added.

ANFA General Secretary Dhirendra Pradhan and other officials were also present on the occasion.