Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) has granted scholarship to six players from five sports disciplines in a bid to earn direct qualification berths for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janerio.
Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) has granted scholarship to six players from five sports disciplines in a bid to earn direct qualification berths for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janerio.
The internationally-recognised NOC, which has been termed illegitimate by the Public Accounts Committee of the parliament, awarded boxer Saraswati Rana, swimmers Sophia Shah and Sirish Gurung, judoka Phupu Lahmu Khatri, Nisha Rawal of taekwondo and athlete Sangeeta Rana with the Olympic Scholarship for Athletes Rio 2016 on Sunday.
“Players identified with potentials of making it to the 2016 Olympics were picked up after consultation with their respective associations,” informed director of the scholarship programme Rajiv Shrestha. The scholarship amounts to $670 per month for each player.
“The amount will be handed to the association who will be responsible to spend in training its player,” said Shrestha. Shrestha said the players will get the amount until May 2016 provided they pass through the Olympic qualifying rounds. “The scholarship will end if the players fail to qualify,” stated Shrestha.
NOC President Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan clarified that picking up the six players did not mean the door is closed for other players. “We have selected the six players on the basis of their past performances and it does not mean they are the only players with the prospect of representing Nepal in the Rio Olympics. The door is open for others as well.”
“This will help us prepare better and we will work hard and make the best use of this opportunity,” said Rawal. The concerned sports associations welcomed the NOC initiative but complained that the amount was not enough to provide foreign exposure.
“The scholarship will definitely help us make an early preparation but not sufficient to send the players for foreign training and international tournaments,” said Nepal Judo Association President Deepak Harsha Bajracharya.
This was the fourth time that NOC has provided such scholarships to the Nepali athletes. Shooter Tika Ram Shrestha and taekwondo ace Sangina Baidhya had received the scholarship in 2002. Athlete Arjun Basnet and taekwondo players Deepak Bista, Manita Shahi and Ayusha Shakya were granted the facility in 2008.
Athletes Bishwo Rupa Budha, Manisha Adhikari and Tilakram Tharu and taekwondo player Ranjan Shrestha were selected for the scholarships in 2010.
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