KATHMANDU: Nepal National and International Players Association (NNIPA) released the fixture of a charity football tournament — Nepatop Kheladi Cup — here today.

The four team tournament opens with a match between two community clubs -- Nabil Three Star Club (NTSC) and New Road Team (NRT) — on June 25. Nepal Police Club (NPC) will take on Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) in a match between departmental teams the next. The winners of the two matches will play for the championship on June 25. Captains of all four participating teams — Bikash Malla (TAC), Surendra Tamang (NTSC), Surendra Shrestha (NRT) and Rakesh Shrestha (NPC) — were also present during the programme.

NNIPA is organising the tournament to raise funds for the treatment of former national volleyball player Dinesh Baniya. Baniya is fighting for life after being diagnosed with failed kidneys. The 41-year-old needs kindey transplantation, which costs around Rs 1.2 million. Baniya, who started his volleyball career in 1988 from the-then Mahendra Police Club (now Nepal Police Club), was the member of the Nepali squad that participated in the sixth and seventh South Asian Federation (SAF) Games in 1991 and 1993.

Meanwhile, donations kept pouring in to save the player’s life. Anil Piya of I4 technology donated Rs 15,000, Thamel Seven-Aside provided Rs 12,000, Birendra Maharjan of Maharjan Nirman Sewa presented Rs 10,000 and Shangri-La Cricket Academy gave Rs 5,000 today.