Sabitra Bhandari aka Samba is undoubtedly the most accomplished footballer of Nepal. From playing across the world, including at the top level in Europe, to becoming the leading goal scorer of not only Nepal, but South Asia overall, Samba has set high standards in Nepali football.

And when Samba reached out to the fans with an emotional appeal through her Facebook on Monday afternoon, she became a hot topic online.

“There has been a serious injury to both the ACL graft that was inserted during my previous surgery and the MCL in my knee. Because of this, I now have to undergo another complex surgery,” Samba wrote. “Since my injury is serious and my previous treatment at Aspetar [Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital] in Qatar was of a very high standard, I wish to undergo treatment again at the same hospital. The club [Wellington Phoenix FC] will release to me the amount received from insurance. But since that amount will not be sufficient for my surgery and 7–8 months of rehabilitation, I have come to seek support from all supporters.”

Samba said the preliminary estimate for her treatment and rehabilitation is $80,000 (Rs 11,582,392).

Samba ruptured the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in her right knee in the second half of Wellington Phoenix’s Round 11 match of the Ninja A-League against Brisbane Roar on January 3. Samba sustained the injury when she collided with Brisbane’s goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln.

With the injury, which is her second such wound in the same knee, she has been sidelined for at least nine to 12 months.

The first time Samba sustained an ACL injury in her right knee was in a match against Nepal Police Club during the National Women’s League 2078.

Samba had then received treatment at Aspetar in 2021 and returned home in February 2022.

“Last time, under the initiative of the ANFA [All Nepal Football Association] leadership, all arrangements and support for my treatment had been made,” Samba said. “At that time, I had no financial or mental difficulties, which is why I was able to return to the field on time.”

But the scenario is different this time.

“As you all already know, I have been out of the field for the past seven weeks due to injury. If things had gone as expected, by now I would have already had surgery for my injury and started physiotherapy some time ago. But I am still wandering around in search of treatment,” wrote Samba.

According to her, a surgery date had been set through Wellington Phoenix’s initiative for three weeks after the injury, after a promise from ANFA.

“But this time, even the support promised by the ANFA leadership was not received,” she wrote. “ANFA said it would make efforts from its side. But it did not move the process forward as stated. Despite repeated attempts, it was difficult to contact them.”

Wellington Phoenix, as per Samba, has said that it is ready to arrange treatment for her at a local hospital in New Zealand. But she wants to get treatment in Aspetar, which the BBC termed as an ‘ultra modern, elite hospital’ in 2019.

Samba, with a photo of her joining hands with a small flag of Nepal in between, has shared a link through which her fans from around the globe can send financial support. She has also shared her personal bank details (account number 0210605412307013 of Agriculture Development Bank).

While the amount she received exceeded her bank account’s receiving limit within an hour after she posted the plea, funds are flowing through the link of givealittle.co.nz, a crowdfunding site. A fund of $135,000 is being raised for Samba through the site.

By 9pm Nepali time, $20,780 had already been raised through the site.

By the same time, the Facebook post had been shared 14,000 times, with around seven thousand comments, most of which were targeted against ANFA for their failure to support the country’s biggest football star.

ANFA’s defence

Two hours and 11 minutes after Samba’s post, ANFA shared three photos on its Facebook.

The first was a fresh press statement where the governing body of Nepali football assured that it was committed to bring the national team captain back to the ground by fully supporting her.

“Respecting the contribution made by Samba to the Nepali football, ANFA has already requested the Qatar Football Association (QFA) for support, with ANFA’s president seeking support through personal connections as well,” read the statement.

To back the statement, the other photo posted by ANFA was of an official letter sent by ANFA President Pankaj Bikram Nembang to the QFA President Jassim Rashid Al Buenain on January 7.

Saying that ANFA was deeply grateful for QFA’s facilitation in Samba’s treatment and recovery at Aspetar in 2021, the letter to Al Buenian stated, “In light of her current injury and given the complexity of this being a re-injury, we respectfully request your kind support in arranging an appointment at Aspetar at the earliest possible opportunity…”

The letter suggests that ANFA had also forwarded medical reports of Samba for reference and assessment.

The third photo shows ANFA’s request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) for necessary facilitation.

In the request made on Monday, through a letter which looks as if it was written in a hurry given its many spelling and grammatical errors, ANFA seeks the MoFA’s help in coordinating with the Qatari counterparts.

Nonetheless, Samba’s post suggests ANFA did not do enough.

“Last week, the ANFA president himself informed me that ANFA would not be able to provide sufficient support for my treatment. He said they would provide up to Rs500,000 and that I should handle the other procedures myself,” Samba wrote. “After even ANFA, which I considered my guardian, stepped back, it is now you, the supporters, who are by my side. Hearing some in ANFA argue that I was injured while playing for my club has disappointed me.”

“The amount required for this treatment is something I have not earned financially until today. That is why I am here today asking for your help. I hope the necessary support for my treatment will be collected soon.”

She also argued that the efforts to seek support from the Nepali government were not going forward as expected. “As I am abroad, efforts have also been made to represent me before the government and seek help for my treatment. However, as the government process has not moved forward as expected, I am not in a position to delay surgery any more,” she wrote.

“On one hand, the process I had previously initiated was halted; on the other, after nearly two months, I now have to try again to secure a surgery date.”

Samba added that she was “tired, but not defeated.”

“I will again return to the ground wearing Nepal’s jersey,” she wrote. “Jay Nepal!”