Nembang elected President of ANFA

By Anjan Khadka Kathmandu, June 21: Pankaj Bikram Nembang was elected the president of the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) for the next term at the 21st Electoral Congress held in Kathmandu on Monday.

Nembang, also the senior vice president of ANFA, garnered 45 votes in his support to take the helm of the domestic governing body of football. 

His closest rival Karma Tsering Sherpa, the existing president, received 39 votes to conclude his tenure at ANFA leadership. 

Nembang termed his victory as the win of Nepali football. He said the new elected executive committee would be working to mend the relationship of the ANFA and other stakeholders. "The relationship of ANFA with footballers, clubs, FIFA and AFC is not going well. We will be mending those relationships."

The 84 members have voting rights in the ANFA election. All of them cast their votes.  

Though three candidates were in the fray for the Presidential election, it was a tight contest between Sherpa and Nembang only. The third candidate Rajib Paudel, former president of Friends Club, did not get any vote. 

Sherpa and Nembang ran the Change ANFA campaign against the autocracy of former President Ganesh Thapa, who was banned by FIFA and AFC later. 

They both were in the same panel when they stood in the presidential election held on May 5, 2018. Sherpa took the ANFA helm after winning the presidential election. 

Nembang also was elected in the post of vice-president accumulating the most number of the votes. ANFA Ex-co later nominated Nembang as the senior vice-president. 

Nembang entered the ANFA as the representative of the Jhapa District Football Association. 

But the rift between Sherpa and Nembang put them pole apart, resulting in their standing in the election against each other. 

After failing to get elected for the next term, Sherpa said he would not distance himself from the football but would get away from the dirty politics. He expressed his best wishes for the newly elected president and members and hoped the new executive committee will run the footballing activities throughout the year without any hindrances. 

"The new committee have huge challenges ahead. I wish they accomplish their duty successfully. I will not provide any obstacles. I will be helping them."

Likewise, Bir Bahadur Khadka, president of Sindhupalshowk District, was elected to the post of Senior Vice-president. He received 44 votes and his rival Sixit Parajuli, President of Saraswoti Youth Club, bagged 40 votes. Khadka stood from the panel of Nembang while Parajuli from Sherpa. 

Khadka said the new committee's first work would be to release the suspension of 10 footballers, who left the closed camp after the dispute with Coach Abdullah Almutairi. "We will work for the rights of players and focus on grass root and developement of Nepali football." 

The candidates of Nembang's panel continued their domination in the election as Dawa Lama of Planning Boys United, Birat Jung Shahi from Kathmandu District, and Dipak Khatiwada from Dhading District got elected to the post of vice president. 

Dirgha Bahadur KC from the Sherpa panel was also elected the vice president. 

Sundar Nar Singh KC from Nembang panel Former captain Upendra Man Singh, Bigyan Raj Sharma and Ratna Kumar Shrestha lost in the race for vice-president. 

Sarila Shrestha and Pema Dolma Lama are the women members to get elected in the new Ex-co of the ANFA.