Four 'A' Division football clubs have appealed to the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) to rethink the date of Martyrs Memorial 'A' Division League football tournament scheduled to start from September 19 considering the Covid-19 pandemic.

Three Star Club, Jawalakhel Youth Club, Brigade Boys Club and Friends Club on Tuesday submitted a joint petition to ANFA General Secretary Indraman Tuladhar asking the football governing body to conduct the games only after the Covid-19 situation eases.

The 'A' division league could not be conducted last year owing to the pandemic.

"Conducting any kind of footballing activities in such a situation means putting the life of players, officials, stakeholders and their families at risk," the four clubs have said in the joint petition. "We also recently came to know that 20 members of the national football team tested positive for the coronavirus."

"A joint meeting of ANFA and 'A' Division clubs had on June 28 fixed September 19 as the league date for marketing purposes at the request of ANFA President Karma Tsering Sherpa. The clubs and ANFA had agreed to fix a new date for the league only after their next meeting. But an ANFA employee had on July 15 sent an email to the clubs asking them to register players by July 25. It was against the agreement reached between ANFA and the clubs so we opposed it," reads the petition urging ANFA to call a meeting with the 'A' division clubs promptly. "Therefore we urge ANFA to rethink the date of the league."

ANFA General Secretary Tuladhar said ANFA would hold a meeting with the clubs in the near future and it is flexible about revising the date if necessary. "As the football governing body, ANFA must prepare for the league and also work on various options considering the fluid situation created by the pandemic," he said.

Tuladhar also admitted that the league’s commencement date of September 19 was fixed for marketing purposes only. "The date for the games can be revised depending upon the situation," said Tuladhar, adding that the league would definitely be postponed if the existing infection rate continued.