By a Staff Reporter
Kathmandu – A new matter of dispute arises at the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) as ANFA President Pankaj Bikram Nembang registered himself as a candidate for a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) without discussing in the Executive Committee (ExCo).
3 Vice Presidents and 11 Members of ANFA ExCo signed a petition demanding the candidacy dismissal of Nembang and submitted it to AFC on Friday. ExCo members claim that Nembang registered his candidacy without discussing it in the ExCo.
AFC will hold an election for the 26-membered Executive Committee the following year for which AFC announced the nomination of 14 candidates for 9 open members including Nembang on October 4th. The 33rd AFC Congress is scheduled to take place in Bahrain on February 1 and 2, 2023 that will elect the new AFC Executive Committee.
ANFA Vice President Birat Jung Shahi quoted that they are against this step of Nembang as it is wrong to nominate a candidacy without getting approved by ExCo. “We came to know that Nembang has registered himself as a candidate for a member of the AFC from the media. We are against this step. Nominating candidates without first having them discussed in the ANFA ExCo is utterly incorrect. We have decided to write a letter to the AFC asking for the dismissal of Nembang’s candidacy after a discussion that took place yesterday. Other members from outside the valley also agreed with our decision but they could not be physically present to sign the petition.” said Shahi.
Along with Shahi, two other vice presidents, Dirgha Bahadur KC (Kumar), Deepak Khatiwada, and ExCo members Bikash Narayan Shrestha, Manish Joshi, Rabindra Chand, Sarila Shrestha, Rupesh Adhikari, Bharat Bahadur Thapa, Tikaram Lama, Maniraj Bista, Ramesh Bynjankar, Purushottam Thapa, Mahendra Chhetri signed the petition.
