Kathmandu, November 26

The National Sports Council today formed a five-member committee to investigate the recent controversies in Nepali football.

Former Secretary of Ministry for Youth and Sports Pratap Kumar Pathak will lead the committee that includes NSC Sports Department chief Kul Bahadur Thapa as the secretary. Former Director of Auditor General’s Office Umesh Dhakal, Joint Secretary at the Ministry for Youth and Sports Ram Bahadur Hamal and lawyer Prawal Sharma are the members in the committee.

According to the NSC Member Secretary Keshab Kumar Bista, the “powerful and independent committee” has been assigned with the task of investigating the recent controversies in Nepali football, including ANFA President Ganesh Thapa’s suspension by the FIFA, match-fixing scandal and over-age issue in AFC U-16 Championship Qualifiers.

Three big scandals hit Nepali football in the last two months that began with match-fixing scandal in October and ended up with FIFA handing over a 10-year ban on Thapa and a fine of $19,000 for various acts of misconduct over several years. Earlier, AFC Foreign Relation Officer Purushottam Kattel met with Minister Mandal, Member Secretary Bista, ANFA acting president Narendra Shrestha and other officials and agitating ANFA officials.

Five footballers, national team skipper Sagar Thapa, vice-captain Sandeep Rai, goalkeeper Ritesh Thapa and former defenders Anjan KC and Bikash Singh Chhetry are currently facing Subversion case for match-fixing as accused by the police, while youth team was disqualified from the AFC U-16 Championship for fielding an over-age player in the qualifiers.

“This is an independent committee and it should not come under anyone’s pressure. It will not only investigate the controversies but also recommend the measures to end the crisis,” said Bista. “The committee was formed as per the understanding with the AFC representative during his meeting with Youth and Sports Minister Satya Narayan Mandal,” he added.

The committee has been given a month time to probe into the cases and submit the report with recommendations.