Kathmandu, January 26

The probe committee formed to investigate the controversies surrounding the All Nepal Football Association today submitted its report to National Sports Council Member Secretary Keshab Kumar Bista.

The NSC had formed a five-member committee headed by former secretary at Ministry of Youth and Sports Pratap Kumar Pathak after world football governing body, FIFA slapped a 10-year ban on ANFA President Ganesh Thapa.

The committee was assigned with the responsibility of finding the facts and making proper suggestions to run the ANFA for better future of the sport.

In the gist of the report distributed to media, the committee has made seven suggestions to the NSC.

However, the committee remained silent on corruption case that led the suspension of Thapa. “We did not touch those cases which were sub judice and/or already investigated by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority and Public Accounts Committee,” said Pathak.

“The whole report might be controversial if we go against the decisions of those bodies,” he added.

The committee said ANFA’s decision to oust office bearers was wrong and suggested the NSC to instruct the football governing body reinstate them in their posts.

“We found that the decision was against the ANFA statute,” Pathak said. ANFA had dismissed three vice-presidents Kishor Rai, Karma Chhiring Sherpa and Bijay Narayan Manandhar along with member Pankaj Nembang from their posts.

The probe committee, however, followed the 2066 statute of the ANFA, which is approved by the NSC, while the football governing body held its latest elections under a new statute as approved by the Asian Football Confederation.

“We had to follow the 2066 statute as this is the one approved by the NSC,” Pathak said.

The committee also suggested the NSC to coordinate with the international bodies to ensure transparency of the FIFA and AFC grants.

“We found direct funding system from FIFA and AFC. Someone should be accountable for the funds as there is no requirement of auditing under such system,” said Pathak.

The committee said the ANFA needed to take decision to vacate the President’s post after the suspension from the FIFA Ethics Committee and suggested the NSC to manage for the election as per the statute.

The committee also pointed out the need of a high level delegation team of government, NSC and ANFA to repair the relation with FIFA and AFC.

The committee asked the NSC to instruct ANFA to get registered as per the existing laws. “ANFA is not registered with any government body and it is just affiliated with the NSC.”

NSC Member Secretary Bista said the report would be implemented in due course. “I am not sure of the time frame of implementation but I am certain of following the suggestions made by the committee,” he added.

CA Umesh Prasad Dhakal, Advocate Prabal Sharma, Under Secretary at Ministry of Youth and Sports Ram Bahadur Hamal and Department Chief at NSC Kul Bahadur Thapa were the members of the committee that took 51 days to bring out the report.