NTA, NOC strike deal

KATHMANDU: The conflict between the Nepal Taekwondo Association (NTA) and the Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) regarding the Nepali team’s failure to take part in the first Youth Olympic Games qualifiers in Mexico ended with a six-point agreement here today.

In the talks between NTA, NOC and NSC at the Youth and Sports Ministry, the three parties agreed to compensate the four taekwondo players Gyanu Chunara, Sita Tamang, Ranjan Shrestha and Jhalak Man Tamang who missed the qualifying tournament. The NOC and NTA will now initiate for a wild card entry for one of the four players apart from assuring them of international training and participation.

According to the agreement, the NSC will bear academic expenses of Sita and Ranjan, who opted out of the SLC examinations to prepare for the qualifiers. They also decided to form a working committee with representatives from NOC, Ministry and NSC to check repetition of such incidents.

The ministry assured of including Nepal’s participation in major events, classification of sports and providing players with special facilities in the yet-to-be formed Sports Policy. The NOC will also agreed to present NTA with the communication letters with IOC regarding the Games participation. The NTA had met Youth and Sports Minister Ganesh Nepali on March 2 demanding the truth behind the NOC’s reluctance to release the funds for the qualifiers.