mysportsmysports

It   appears, though, all is   not so honky dory   for the longest serving  President of All Nepal Football Association Ganesh Thapa. Lately,   self made authoritarian Thapa    has come under fire from all   quarters. He   faces   for the first time serious opposition from his own people and a handful of journalists who are bold enough to speak up in a long time. Recently, two of his vice-presidents Karma Tshering Sherpa and Bijay Narayan   Manandhar came out firing on all cylinders, making public Thapa’s authoritative   style leadership, mismanagement and misappropriation of funds They   expressed shock, outrage and accused him of lacking   transparency, accountability, leadership and administrative qualities. Likewise, another vice president   Kishor Rai  Jhapali  got on the band wagon. He   was ...

Star athletes of yesteryears are either shunned or forgotten in Nepal. Following retirement, they quickly fade   into oblivion and   face the real possibility of   risks and uncertainties. A few lucky ones manage to survive life’s unforeseen challenges and circumstances. This has also caused the emigration of athletes in significant number   to foreign countries in order to find a better and secure life. We have witnessed a large number of athletes retire   to a life of relative obscurity. They   go through financial hardship and    health problems. Those with serious illnesses   have been debilitated, incapacitated,   bed ridden and   are in a desperate fight for survival. Their medical condition   warranted/warrants immediate attention and help. Despite the increased urgency of addressing the   critical issue, nothing has been done and ...

Upon landing at Tribhuvan International Airport after eight long years, I was finally at   home. I was so overwhelmed with joy and happiness that I had   to literally fight off tears. Despite the lingering jet lag, I was on my toes the very next day. I decided   going back   to the same familiar place   I frequently visited as a sports reporter. I was ecstatic and eager, hoping to revive happy memories. After negotiating the chaotic and insane traffic   from Putali Sadak to Tripureswore, shockingly, it took me almost forty minutes to reach my destination “Dasharath Rangasala”, one of the most identifiable landmarks in the capital. I gazed at her for awhile   and   noticed   a few   cosmetic changes. Other than that, the grand old structure looked unchanged except for the floodlights, giant electronic scoreboard and some minor changes. Once   inside th...

The national   cricket team   of   Nepal`s performance at the Twenty/20 World Cup in Bangladesh   was remarkable and sensational.   Despite two impressive wins against Hong Kong   and Afghanistan, Nepal narrowly failed to join the elite teams in the league cum knock out phase.   It was a story of so close yet so far. A better net   run rate than Bangladesh   could have ensured Nepal   a   historical spot in the final round.   That did not happen but they dished out a creditable   and heartwarming   performance, generating   excitement of hysterical proportions in fans.     More important, they were able to win the hearts and minds of   sport enthusiasts who were literally bowled over by the performance.   Team Nepal`s   superb performance earned high marks from all quarters  ...

Twenty-nine year old   Sagar   Thapa needs no introduction. If you are familiar with   Nepali sports, you will easily recognize him. He is one of the country’s most popular sporting figures. If   you   don’t   know   who   he is, let me   introduce him. By profession Thapa is an international footballer and plays for the national team of   Nepal. He made his international debut in 2003 against Vietnam in the Asia Cup qualifier held in South Korea. Since then he has been   a   regular   in the national squad and has not looked back. It is no surprise that   he has become an asset to the team and taken his game to a   whole new level.   His diligence, hard work and commitment paid   him rich dividends.  In 2009 he was rewarded with the captain’s arm band and   led the team against Kyrgyzs...

In hindsight, the national cricket team of Nepal’s performance in the recently concluded ICC World Cup 50 over qualifier in New Zealand was a huge disappointment. Much to the dismay of the fans, they paid the price for underperforming. I have to say, our boys squandered another big opportunity to make a   very big statement. The missed chance proved very costly for them at the end. Some have criticized players for being over confident, complacent and not performing to potential. There is some truth in that. The team’s   mediocrity, raggedness and inconsistency   were   in full display   throughout the competition. There is absolutely no excuse for the poor result. The fact is that they performed badly and   were unable to live up to expectations. It   looked like they were far from   prepared for the challenge. They started off on a losing note to the United Arab Emirates and never reco...

In sports, coaching   is   a very important, challenging and   demanding job. A coach has to demonstrate that he/she has the    ability, passion, determination, gut, patience, self-discipline, tactical and technical knowledge required for the job. When one steps into the role of a   coach, comes   big responsibilities. The stakes are high. And then along comes high expectations.  The nature of the job and the demand can make the coach, either a hero or a scapegoat. Speaking of Nepali football, becoming a coach is far more challenging, given the sad state of football. We have homegrown coaches   aplenty; however, nobody denies the fact   that   the  lack   of   professional, qualified coaches is a huge problem. Of course, coaches have unwavering commitment and   do their best to achieve their goals, but all their efforts go in vain. ...