DHAKA: Personal differences between the coach and manager cost Nepal a bronze medal in the women’s Team Kata on Sunday.

With just four teams in contention, the Nepali team was assured of bronze even if they had just appeared but the differences between kata chief coach Hira Singh Dangol and team manager Singha Bahadur Rana resulted into the disqualification of the team. Nepal had only two kata players (Sangita Dangol and Suvadra Shrestha) in the three-member team and coach Dangol had suggested kumite player Anu Adhikari, who also had the experience of kata, as the third member.

But Rana opted for Ganga Adhikari, who has never performed kata, instead in the managers’ meeting creating confusion on Sunday. However, the manager denied the allegation saying he gave the name suggested by the coach. Nepal was not scheduled to participate in the Team Kata after the organisers allowed only 10 players in the sport.