Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Nepali women’s national football team captain Sabitra Bhandari, popularly known as ‘Samba’, has launched a fundraising campaign on social media to cover the cost of a major knee surgery after alleging that the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) declined to provide full treatment support.
In a social media post on Monday, Bhandari appealed to supporters at home and abroad for financial assistance, saying the amount she has earned so far in her career is not enough to cover the treatment costs.
The ace striker, who plays for Wellington Phoenix in New Zealand, said she has been out of action for the past seven weeks after sustaining damage to both her medial collateral ligament (MCL) and the graft of a previously reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
Bhandari said ANFA had initially promised support but later failed to follow through. According to her, her club had scheduled surgery three weeks after the injury, but the date was postponed after ANFA said it would try its best to manage the process. However, she said the process did not move forward.
“Last week, ANFA President himself informed that ANFA would not be able to provide administrative support for my treatment. He said that he would provide cash assistance of up to 500,000 and asked me to carry out other procedures on my own,” she said.
Bhandari said her club has expressed readiness to arrange treatment at a local hospital in New Zealand. However, citing the seriousness of the injury and her previous successful treatment at Aspetar in Qatar, she said she prefers to undergo surgery at the same facility.
“The club is telling me that they are ready to treat me at a local hospital in New Zealand. But since my injury is serious and the treatment I received at the Aspetar in Qatar was of an excellent standard last time, I want to get treated at the same hospital again,” she said. “The club will release the amount received from the insurance for me. But since the amount will not be enough for my surgery and 7-8 months of rehabilitation, I have come to ask for help from the supporters.”
According to Bhandari, the initial estimated cost for the surgery and rehabilitation will be $80,000.
Bhandari has also launched a separate fundraising campaign on givealittle.co.nz, where around NZ$3,000 has already been raised.
“Since I am abroad, efforts have been made on my behalf to the government too. But since the government process has not progressed as expected, I am not in a position to wait for them without proceeding with surgery,” she said.
Bhandari has scored 68 goals in 61 matches for Nepal is currently 25th in the list of women’s goalscorers by country.
