ANFA President Pankaj Bikram Nembang and General Secretary Kiran Rai, accompanied by Deputy General Secretary Damodar Bhattarai and Ex-Co member Manish Joshi, paid a courtesy visit to the newly-appointed Minister for Youth and Sports Biraj Bhakta Shrestha. The meeting at the latter's office in Singha Durbar ended on a very constructive and optimistic note concerning various footballing matters.
During the meeting, President Nembang highlighted ANFA's bid to bolster football initiatives across the country through promoting grassroots talent and other footballing activities on various levels and age groups. He reiterated ANFA's commitment towards the development of the game and outlined organizational plans to organize both national and international tournaments.
President Nembang withdrew the minister's attention towards the financial constraints ANFA currently faces which has severely crippled its ability to host national and international tournaments on a regular basis.
President Nembang sought government support and appealed for financial assistance in the current or upcoming fiscal year to ensure the smooth execution of footballing activities nationwide. He submitted a memorandum and mentioned the need for funding to facilitate top-tier leagues including the A, B and C Division Leagues, league qualifiers, women's competitions, district tournaments, and more.
He urged for governmental backing in providing an additional monthly allowance to the national men's and women's team members on top of the amount already provided by ANFA and proposed annual awards for the best male and female players, appealing for government support in its implementation.
The visiting delegation also presented a token of gratitude to the minister and extended their best wishes for his successful tenure in office.
