League postponed indefinitely

SOURCCE: REPUBLICA

KATHMANDU, May 19: A meeting of the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) and ´A´ division clubs on Wednesday decided to postpone the Martyrs Memorial ´A´ Division League indefinitely citing technical reasons. According to ANFA, the league was postponed after clubs asked for some more time for preparations.

“Despite the ongoing league being halted for a long time, we have agreed to further postpone it as the clubs demanded some more time for preparations,” stated ANFA Spokesperson and Vice-president Lalit Krishna Shrestha.

“The upcoming meeting will fix the date for league resumption,” Shrestha added. However, the date for the upcoming meeting has not yet been fixed.

Though ANFA has cited technical reasons for stopping the league, unstable political situation is the major reason, a participant of the meeting told myrepublica.com. “Everyone is in confusion as to what would happen after May 28 -- the deadline for constitution writing. If the political situation turns favorable, the clubs are ready to play from the very next day."

Some clubs were of the opinion that the league should be resumed immediately. They said the league can never be conducted if they keep on waiting for a favorable time.

Among 132 matches of the league, 26 are yet to be played.

The league was halted after the Maoists announced a general strike from May 1. A meeting between ANFA and clubs had decided to defer the league until May 19 as New Road Team (NRT) left for Dhaka, Bangladesh to participate in the AFC President´s Cup as the winners of the first leg.

Nepal Police are on the top of the table with 41 points while NRT with 37 points are in second spot in the ongoing league. Armed Police Force and Sankata Kathmandu Mall Club are in the relegation zone. Bottom two teams will be relegated in the 12-team contest.