NSC warns of action against associations snarled in misdeeds

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Feb. 7: The 33rd board meeting of the executive committee of the National Sports Council (NSC) on February 4 decided to issue final warnings to several sports stakeholders associated with activities against the prevailing laws of the country. The decisions were made public two days later, on February 6, by NSC member-secretary Tanka Lal Ghising and team.

As per the decision’s overview provided by the NSC, they have warned actions such as freezing associations’ bank accounts, restricting foreign visits and denying usage of state-owned sports facilities among others.

“‘Among others’ suggest that the associations could face actions up to termination,” warned Ghising, who cited that it was not included in the statement to prevent lengthiness. 

The NSC’s board of seven members which got fulfilled recently decided to give three days for associations of rafting/canoeing, basketball, archery, volleyball, skiing, judo, golf and boxing to provide reasons for not being able to hold timely elections.

Similarly, associations of weightlifting, cycling, badminton, gymnastics and table tennis have been asked to send their reasons for going against the court orders after being unable to conduct their elections on time. Likewise, the NSC has asked the associations of table tennis, wushu, swimming, wrestling, handball and kabaddi why not to take action under the Corruption Prevention Act against individuals who misused the association to represent the country on global stages.

On the other hand, five of the other nine decisions were related to the elections of the Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC).

“The NOC’s recent election is against the law. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) clearly states that a national Olympic committee should follow the law of the land. Thus, NOC should abide by Nepal’s laws. But the recent election was not only just against the laws, but it went against the order of the courts as well,” Ghising stressed.

As some of the members who voted in the controversial NOC Ex-Co election have said to have resigned, the NSC has decided to confirm the resignations from the representatives of All Nepal Football Association, Nepal Hockey Association and Nepal Taekwondo Association.

Meanwhile, the board accepted the clarifications submitted by the associations of shooting, table tennis, triathlon, swimming, wrestling, wushu and kabaddi. They had clarified not participating in the NOC election following which the NSC decided not to take any further steps against them. 

A similar response was given to the associations of athletics and handball, but the duo was re-stressed to conduct their elections on time.

Nonetheless, the NSC asked the karate and fencing associations to clarify why their previous clarifications came after the deadline. Karate and fencing have also denied participating in the NOC election.

Finally, the NSC will be publishing a public notice requesting all international and national sports stakeholders to not involve the associations tangled in the illegal election of the NOC.

“We are also reaching out to the IOC and Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and informing them of the misdeeds in the recent election. What is wrong is wrong. We have moved forward and will not hesitate to take strict actions under the prevailing laws,” said Ghising.