Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal with the Nepali contingent of the 19th Asian Games after a farewell ceremony in Kathmandu on Thursday. THT
KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 14
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal urged the participants of the 19th Asian Games to put up a confident show during the farewell ceremony of the Nepali contingent at the PM's office in Baluwatar today.
A total of 253 athletes - 127 women and 126 men - from 29 sports disciplines will represent Nepal in the Asian sporting extravaganza. The athletes of some sports were not present in the farewell programme as they were in training outside the valley and foreign.
PM Dahal asked the players to perform freely. "Everything has been managed well in China for the Asian Games and I am confident that Nepal will do well this time around," said Dahal, who is also scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the Games starting on September 23.
National Sports Council Member Secretary Tanka Lal Ghising said he believed the athletes, who have trained in the country and abroad through the three-stage selection competition, would bring good results in the Asiad. "The athletes have got international exposure and the preparation of training is also good. So, we are hoping for good results," Ghising said.
Youth and Sports Minister Dig Bahadur Limbu said the entire Nepali people would be with the athletes. He also encouraged the players to perform with high morale. Limbu said the ministry was preparing to introduce "Red Passport" for athletes. "Nepali players have to wait in line for hours at the airport to compete in international competitions and we are planning to provide the athletes with red passports."
President of Nepal Olympic Committee Jeevan Ram Shrestha believed that Nepali athletes were capable of bringing excellent results. "If the government ensures an adequate budget before international competitions, the Nepali players can perform to the next level," he said.
A version of this article appears in the print on September 15, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
