Maharjan to probe karate controversy
KATHMANDU: National Sports Council (NSC) today formed a three-member probe committee to find the truths behind the controversy that flared up after Nepal Karate Federation (NKF) selected coaches and manager for the upcoming 11th South Asian Games.
The karate governing body had selected Deepak Shrestha of Armed Police Force as kumite coach, Hira Singh Dangol as kata coach and NKF Secretary Singha Bahadur Rana as the manager for the regional tournament to be held in Dhaka from January 29 to February 9 next year.
However, the decision enraged other coaches, notably Nepal Police Club coach and former SA Games gold medalist Deepak Shrestha, prompting them to protest against the so-called wrong doings.
The NPC coach Deepak, Central Region coach Chhori Dangol and kata coach Bir
Krishna Shahi filed the protest at the NSC claiming the decision to pick the officials was made by a meeting attended by a handful of NKF members. They claimed the decision was made by only 4-5 of the 25-member NKF executive committee.
The NSC has named its board member Min Krishna Maharjan, who is also the NKF senior vice-president, as the convenor of the probe committee, which includes NSC member Lal Kumar Lama and Secretary of the of the SA Games Preparation Committee Partha Sarathi Sen Gupta as its members.
Probe committee convenor Maharjan said his committee would submit its findings to the NSC within the next three days. Of the 15 karatekas selected for the SA Games, nine were picked from NPC — the team the two-time SAF Games gold medallist Deepak had been taking care of.