Kathmandu, March 7:

The three-year-long row between Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) and National Sports Council (NSC) is likely to resolve once and for all by the end of this month, claimed NSC member secretary Kishor Bahadur Singh.

“IOC representative Michel Filliau and OCA’s Haider Farman are coming here on March 15 and they are keen to solve the dispute,” Singh told.

The IOC and OCA have directed both the warring parties to undergo four-point road map — re-registration of NOC under the presidentship of Rukma Shumsher Rana, opening of bank NOC accounts freezed by the government, drafting a new constitution and holding elections of NOC.

“We have no objection with the directives and the government has already asked them for re-registration,” said Singh.“We want the crisis be resolved as soon as possible and we have done everything to cope with the NOC,” Singh added.

The row between NOC and NSC mounted on July 2004 after the government revoked Rana-led NOC for “not obeying government instructions” and authorised Singh, who formed a ‘jumbo’ ad hoc committee. But the IOC refused to recognise the committee and warned government not to intervene in NOC-related issues.

The war of words between the two parties continued and the Ministry of Education and Sports was forced to intervene to pave way for the athletes to take part in the ninth SAF Games in Islamabad. The Ministry formed an unified body asking both the parties to follow the IOC road map.

But the dateline has exceeded with hardly any progress. NSC, on its part, held elections of few associations, while the NOC officials kept on asking to revoke their bank account’s freezing.

Meanwhile, Singh defended Nepal’s participation in the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy from February 10-27. According to Singh, one Dai Tsering qualified in the 50km cross country skiing and was given the ‘go a head’ signal by the government upon the request of NSC. Singh was chef-de-mission, while NOC general secretary Dhurba Bahadur Pradhan and members Upendra Neupane and Kamal Chitrakar had visited Turin as officials.

‘We will take action’

KATHMANDU: NSC member secretary Kiahor Bahadur Singh on Tuesday said that the council was ready to take action against the culprits of Angel Bhattarai fiasco. “We have asked the tennis association to submit the report, and once they respond, we will take proper action,” said Singh.

All Nepal Lawn Tennis Association took Ramesh Karki instead of Bhattarai from Tribhuvan International Airport to participate in the U-14 ITF Asian Lawn Tennis Championship held in January 7-18 in Yangun. — HNS