DHAKA; Nepali sports authorities repeated the mistake they committed four years ago at the 11th SA Games today by making the organisers play the old national anthem.

The organisers had played old national anthem during the mass flag hoisting ceremony at players’ village on Friday and did the same during the opening ceremony of the badminton tournament today as well. They played “Sri Man Gambhira Nepali...” instead of “Sayau Thunga Fulka Hami…” twice in two days for the embarrassment of the Nepalis present here.

General Secretary of the Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) Jeevan Ram Shrestha said they had informed the organisers about Friday’s error. “We don’t know how they repeated the same tune again,” added Shrestha. Shrestha said the Chef-de-Mission should have made sure of avoiding such errors during the Chef-de-Missions’ meeting.

“Chef-de-Mission will have to sign a paper stating changes, if any, during the meeting. He should have checked such things,” added Shrestha, who had himself attended the Chef-de-Missions’ meeting as the NSC Member Secretary at the 10th SA Games in Colombo.

The NSC Member Secretary

and Nepal’s Chef-de-Mission

Hari Babu Chaudhary, however, blamed the Nepal Badminton Association for the mistake.

The same incident had occurred during the football match at the 10th SA Games in Dhaka in 2006. Usually, NOC is the authorised body to deal with the organisers in such Games.