Nepal Olympic Committee election uncertain

KATHMANDU, Aug 6: The election of internationally recognized Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) scheduled for Thursday has become uncertain due to controversy surrounding selection of representatives, dispute within organizations and (green) signal from international governing body.

The election scheduled for Thursday is supposed to elect NOC leadership for the next four years. However, NOC, which has become the victim of internal dispute since long, has been mired in fresh controversy."All preparations for the election are over. However, we are not in the condition to say whether the election will be held as scheduled (Thursday)," NOC President Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan told Republica late night Wednesday. "Our representative from Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Haider AHE Farman will be arriving shortly. We shall take the decision after holding discussions with him."

The Patan Appellate Court on Wednesday issued an interim order to hold election ensuring participation of three agitating associations. However, NOC has been claiming that these associations are unauthorized.

"The three associations will be represented in election. But the voters will be as per the statute of NOC," Pradhan said, hinting that representatives from agitating associations will not be entertained since they are not registered at NOC.

Besides this, some associations, including volleyball, badminton, shooting, registered as authorized associations at NOC have been claiming that NOC handpicked representatives from these bodies.

Amidst a press conference on Sunday, the chiefs of volleyball and badminton associations accused NOC of picking representatives from their associations without their knowledge. They have also accused NOC of violating its own statute and Olympic charter.

Meanwhile, Women, Children and Sports Committee of Legislature-Parliament has directed the Ministry of Youth and Sports to annul the current election process. Following a day-long discussion, the committee has decided to put election on hold for the time being. The committee has decided to call both the agitating sides for discussion within a week to find the truth and finalize the date for next election as per NOC's statute.

Speaking to Republica on Wednesday, Nepal Volleyball Association President Dan Bahadur Tamang said that the election was against established norms and its own statute. "My only demand is to terminate the current election process and start a fresh process as per the NOC statute. As an umbrella organization of associations, the NOC election must be fair. I hope that NOC shall start the new election process because it would be meaningless to hold the election violating the directives of the government and the court," Tamang said.

Election candidates

The current General Secretary Jeevan Ram Shrestha is likely to be elected chief of NOC unopposed on condition that the election be held on Thursday. However, other posts are likely to be decided through election since multiple candidates have shown their interest in contesting for the posts. The election shall elect four vice presidents, one general secretary, deputy general secretary and treasurer and nine members.

Four candidates including Umeshlal Shrestha, Lama Tendi Sherpa, Chhimi Urgen Gurung and Deep Raj Gurung have filed candidacy for general secretary. Ratan Tandon is likely to be the lone candidate for treasurer. Similarly, Rajiv Shrestha and Chatura Nanda Baidhya are likely to vie for deputy general secretary.

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