The National Sports Council (Rakhep) has emphasized the need to promote sports as a compulsory curriculum from the school level to achieve success in major international competitions and win medals.
During a meeting of the Education, Health and Information Technology Committee under the House of Representatives, Rakhep Member Secretary Tanklal Ghising highlighted that without mainstreaming sports education from an early age, it will be an uphill task for Nepal to excel on the global sporting stage.
"If sports cannot be promoted from the school level as a curriculum and compulsory education, it will be difficult for us to get medals in major international competitions," Ghising stated.
He thanked the parliamentary committee for showing keen interest in the development of sports and underscored the urgency of incorporating sports into the academic syllabus right from the school level to nurture future talents.
Ghising informed that he has already prepared a questionnaire on this issue and sent it to the Ministry of Youth and Sports. He has now requested the committee to continue discussions on the matter.
Addressing the committee, the Member Secretary admitted that Nepal currently has only one international-level stadium, the Dasharath Rangasala, which was damaged some time ago due to excessive use for competitions.
"We lost the 'home match' with Bahrain during the World Cup qualifiers because of the poor condition of the stadium back then," Ghising revealed.
Since that incident, Rakhep has taken over the responsibility of managing the stadium from the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA). A consultant has been assigned to oversee the maintenance of the playing surface.
"The grassland condition is good now," Ghising assured. However, he highlighted that the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has recently raised concerns about technical issues with some floodlights and spectator safety at the venue.
"We have received information that the stadium has lost international recognition because of these issues, although the AFC did not discuss the reasons behind the decision," he added.
With only 27 days left for the World Cup qualifying match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Ghising expressed confidence that the problems pointed out by the AFC will be resolved promptly. He stated that information regarding the safety measures and floodlight issues has been sent to the AFC and FIFA through ANFA.
Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Sumanraj Aryal, mentioned that FIFA and AFC had reported on some technical matters and spectator safety concerns. "We have instructed officials to submit a report within five days to address those issues," Aryal said, adding that a committee has been formed to assess the condition of various stadiums.
ANFA President Pankajvikram Nemwang clarified that FIFA and AFC's concerns stem from the human losses during a football tournament in Indonesia. "In line with this, FIFA and AFC have informed us about their apprehensions regarding the upcoming matches and the stadium condition," Nemwang explained.
He has sent a letter to the AFC, assuring the sports body that ANFA is committed to resolving the highlighted issues promptly, expressing belief in a positive outcome.
As Nepal gears up to host the crucial World Cup qualifying match, the sports authorities are leaving no stone unturned to address the international governing bodies' concerns and create a conducive environment for the nation's sporting excellence.
