On Thursday, the All Nepal Football Association announced that it had postponed the National League and the Martyr’s Memorial Women’s League. Both the notices were signed by the footballing body’s Chief Executive Officer Indra Man Tuladhar.

And it was Tuladhar at the forefront in Monday’s press meet called by Sankata FC, a club with teams participating in both the National League and Women’s League. The meet was organised to inform about the troubles caused by the postponement of the leagues.

Tuladhar is also the president of Sankata FC, one of the country’s oldest football clubs.

“Today, especially, I will be responding as the president of Sankata,” Tuladhar said as he kicked off the press meet at the club’s office in Tebahal. “But I might also respond as a representative of ANFA if the situation demands.”

Sankata’s press meet came at a time when the clubs have been accused of fielding foreign players without work visas in the tournaments. The two premier tournaments were postponed the day that the Department of Immigration intervened and warned ANFA of immediate legal action if foreign players were found without the work visas.

Sankata have four foreign players in their women’s squad.

“It is not that we have fielded foreign players forcefully,” said Tuladhar. “We had submitted documents seeking work permits for foreign women players since February. The files have been kept on hold by the National Sports Council.”

A club would require a recommendation letter from the concerned government-line agency and a work permit from the labour department, among other documents, to get a working visa from the Department of Immigration.

“However, our files have not moved forward from the National Sports Council,” Tuladhar said as Sankata’s president. And as ANFA’s CEO, Tuladhar said, “The files have not moved forward as there are disputes between ANFA and NSC.”

“The results of the dispute have put clubs like Sankata into trouble as millions of investment is at risk with the postponement of the leagues,” Tuladhar added.

Sankata’s head coach Rabindra Silakar, men’s team captain Tikendra Singh Thapa and women’s team captain Yasoda Shahi also shared the pitfalls of the league’s postponement.

“We were asked to continue with the foreign players as we were under process,” Tuladhar said.

Meanwhile, competition regulations of the National League and the Women’s League state that the need of a work permit for a foreign player is mandatory for players’ registration.

ANFA had charged Three Star Club for fielding players without work visas, which led to the club’s relegation, an issue that has gotten knottier after Patan High Court’s intervention. Now, ANFA itself is asking the clubs to continue without work permits.

And while the clubs, players and officials remain in dismay with no certainty of when the leagues will resume, ANFA and NSC are playing a tug of war with press statements.

Blame and defence

The NSC has been asking ANFA not to hold its election without a fresh mandate at the district-level.

Meanwhile, the current executive committee of ANFA, led by Pankaj Bikram Nembang, has, for some months, been planning to hold the election for a new executive committee without fresh elections in the district associations. Alongside the NSC, the Ministry of Youth and Sports alongside the Patan High Court, have also been intervening in the matter.

As Nembang’s ANFA has been moving forward with the early election, currently scheduled for March 27, tussle with the NSC has only deepened.

It is what has led the NSC and the ministry to not entertain ANFA’s letters related to work permits for foreign players and permissions for using Dasharath Stadium, which is under NSC’s ownership, for the friendly against Hong Kong on March 26.

On Sunday, ANFA issued a press statement blaming the NSC for the cancellation of the friendly with Hong Kong as the footballing body was not permitted to use Dasharath Stadium. In response, NSC issued a press statement and clarified that they had given the green light for the friendly.

The NSC also attached letters sent to ANFA that paved the way for Dasharath Stadium to host Hong Kong. However, ANFA on Monday issued another statement and stated that they did not receive the letters.

“Questions rise over NSC’s ethics as they made public the letters only after ANFA issued a statement regarding the cancellation of the friendly against Hong Kong,” read ANFA’s statement on Monday. “Through this statement, ANFA clarified that it has not yet received any official or written permission.”

As the blame and defence continue from ANFA and NSC, Nepali football has again hit rock bottom, with the domestic tournaments suspended and international fixtures cancelled.

The ongoing tussle between ANFA and NSC poses greater risks: suspension or expulsion from FIFA. The governing body of world football has always been strict regarding state-level or third-party interference in its member associations. They are also strict when member associations prioritise unnecessary politics over footballing activities.