The Political and Legal Struggle Over Nepal’s Olympic Representation
The recent decision by the Ministry of Youth and Sports to initiate the formation of an ad hoc committee for the Nepal Olympic Committee has sparked renewed debate within the Nepali sports community. This move comes amid a long-standing conflict over the legitimacy of the current leadership of the National Olympic Committee (NOC).
At a press conference held in Singha Durbar, Minister for Youth and Sports Teju Lal Chaudhary announced that the government considers the current NOC as illegal. He stated that all activities carried out by the existing committee are in violation of national laws. According to Chaudhary, the ministry is taking steps to form an ad hoc committee made up of representatives from various national sports associations. This committee will then elect a new executive body based on a fresh mandate.
Chaudhary emphasized that the ministry would follow due procedures while forming the ad hoc committee, ensuring full compliance with the Olympic Charter. Additionally, the ministry plans to inform the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) about the developments and seek their support in the process. He also mentioned that the decision has received backing from Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
The current controversy began when Jeevan Ram Shrestha was re-elected as president of the NOC for a third term on December 28 last year. Shrestha amended the NOC statute to allow for a third term and conducted the election despite the government having locked down the NOC building in Satdobato, Lalitpur. The government viewed this action as violating a stay order from the Patan High Court and an interim order from the Supreme Court.
However, Shrestha maintained that the court orders did not prohibit the election. He also claimed that the IOC and OCA had accepted his new committee. This led to a conflict between Shrestha, Minister Chaudhary, and Tanka Lal Ghising, the member-secretary of the National Sports Council (NSC). Despite the ministry and NSC labeling the NOC’s actions as illegal, no strict measures have been taken yet. The government has only frozen the NOC’s bank accounts and restricted officials from traveling abroad for NOC-related activities.
Chaudhary noted that Shrestha is currently in China for non-sports-related activities and warned him against participating in any sports-related events. Meanwhile, experts warn that the ongoing dispute could negatively impact Nepal’s sporting sector.
Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan, former president of the NOC from 2006 to 2015, criticized the government for failing to act effectively when Shrestha amended the statute and held the election. He pointed out that there was little interest in the amendment process. Pradhan, who is now a member of parliament representing the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, said that the IOC has already expressed its position on the new committee but added that it could still change.
Pradhan urged both the state and the NOC to work together to find a solution to the issues at hand. He suggested that personal ambitions and ego were driving the current conflict. He warned that if unresolved, the problems could damage Nepal’s international reputation and affect athletes ahead of the Asian Games and Olympics.
Minister Chaudhary argued that the formation of the ad hoc committee would ensure that Nepal’s participation in the upcoming Asian Games in Japan remains unaffected. He also mentioned that an investigation into the Cricket Association of Nepal-organized Nepal Premier League (NPL) is ongoing. Chaudhary noted that the probe committee faced challenges in obtaining proper responses and documents during the investigation. He assured that the second edition of the NPL will be more extravagant than the first, but the investigation is still in progress.
Additionally, Chaudhary confirmed that the ministry will soon announce the date for the 10th National Games. This development highlights the ongoing efforts to bring stability and clarity to Nepal’s sports governance structure.
