Kathmandu, November 24:

Republican Sports Federation of Nepal (RSFN) is organising the third Republican Sports Festival and first Republican Prime Minister Cup International Football Tournament.

The national level tournaments in 11 sports disciplines — football, volleyball, athletics, taekwondo, karate, judo, wushu, wrestling, weightlifting, cricket and kabaddi — will begin from January 6, 2009 in different parts of the country, while the international football tournament is scheduled for March 1- 8 at the Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu, the organisers said at a press meet today.

The women football tournament will be held in Biratnagar and the men’s tournament will be played in Pokhara. The volleyball tournaments will be held in Palpa (women’s) and Dadeldhura

(men’s), while Dadeldhura also will host the athletics events.

The men’s and women’s taekwondo championships will be held in Gaighat and Karate in Butwal (official) and Banepa (full contact).

Judo and cricket are the two events to be held in Kathmandu, while wushu will be held in Dhankuta. Wrestling is scheduled to be held in Janakpur, whereas weightlifting and kabaddi will be held in Nepalgunj.

Around 3,500 players representing the 13 Federal States proposed by Maoists will take part in the tournaments, the organisers informed.

Asked about the international football tournament, Jayandra Bahadur Chand, President of the RSFN, said six teams from Asian countries would join Nepal’s two national teams in the tournament. “We have planned to invite national teams from India, China, South Korea, Maldives and Sri Lanka,” he said. “But the club teams from few countries like China and South

Korea may represent in the tournament,” said Chand.

The organisers have estimated a total budget of Rs 70 million for the festival and international

football. “Like the previous years, we will collect funds from the sports lovers, industrialists, businessmen and the sports ministry,” said Chand.

“We have submitted the proposal to the ministry and the National Sports Council. Both the parties are positive towards the festival and we are hoping financial assistance from them as well,” he said.

The organisers also informed the players from departmental teams — Tribhuvan Army Club, Nepal Police Club and Nepal APF Club — cannot participate in the national level tournaments.

“We are not including the players from the departmental teams as their level is high and others cannot compete with them,” said Chand.

“But the footballers from the departmental teams will be considered while selecting the national teams for the international football tournament,” he added. Chand also informed that the RSFN would coordinate with the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) to select the players

for the two national teams.