Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The National Sports Council (NSC) has suspended the leadership of the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) for three months.
As per Section 29 (2) of the National Sports Development Regulations, 2020, NSC can suspend sports associations under it for three months if they fail to abide by its instructions.
The controversy began after the ANFA leadership started preparing for an early election, something not prescribed in its statute, three months before the end of its term, in a bid to secure another tenure.
As ANFA moved ahead with the election, the NSC repeatedly instructed it that the election cannot be held without prior approval. However, after ANFA ignored the directive and proceeded to schedule the election for March 27.
“The repeated written directives issued by the regulatory body to implement matters required under prevailing Acts, laws, and the association’s approved statute have not been carried out. Instead of complying with national law, there appears to be an intention to portray directives from the international body to which it is affiliated as binding and mandatory, thereby undermining the principle of the supremacy of national law,” the NSC said in its decision.
Earlier on Wednesday, ANFA submitted a clarification to the NSC, insisting that it had not violated any legal provisions. In its reply, ANFA said it cannot postpone the election scheduled for March 27 and is in a position where it must proceed with the polls as planned.
