Kathmandu, July 6:

The newly appointed member secretary of National Sports Council (NSC) Jeevan Ram Shrestha expressed the need to revamp the sports sector of the country.

Shrestha, who joined the office on Thursday, said that his immediate priority would be the 10th South Asian Games scheduled for August 18-28 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

“We will do everthing for providing better training to the players under closed camp,” Shrestha said. He also expressed commitment to bring special package to falicitate players who earn success in the 10th South Asian Games.

Indicating towards some associations close to Nepal Olympic Committee that have recenlty been trying to run parellel associations, Shrestha said such action will not be tolerated.

“NOC should be responsible towords the sports and players, otherwise its existence makes no sense,” he said adding that he would seriously try to make NOC disciplined and responsible.

“In my brief tenure as member secretary in 1996/97, I confronted with the NOC when it delebertely tried to put away the hosting opportunity of the SAF Games. So, I will be watching the NOC closely this time also,” Shrestha told reporters.

Shrestha said that associations would be judged not by its activities but by the results it brings in the discipline. “We should shake aside the traditional structures and adopt the rightful ones that would better serve in the development of sports,” Shrestha said. He indicated to work in the footsteps of the Nepal government to bring drastic change in sports.

“We need to change and improvise certain laws to make the sports more disciplined,” he added. Addressing the status of the national sports associations, he felt the need of proper management to bring about greater success.

Despite his own appointment was based on political basis, Shrestha expressed his commitment not to allow any political interference in sports. “ I can assure that no individual or assiciation would be given unnecessary preference for being close to a certain political party or the goverment.”