Five Olympians were shocked to find out that they were due to receive USD 1480 each from Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) as allowance paid by the Olympic Organizing Committee of the 2004 Greece Olympics which was not provided to them.
“We came to know our allowance (USD 2400 minus 900 for the airfare and other expenses) was due. We fought for it and they are ready to pay us this week,” then Olympic players’ captain Rajendra Bhandari told Nepalnews. “NNIPA’s actions brought them down and we are happy now,” Bhandari added.
“When players asked NOC officials to provide them their allowances, NOC officials had challenged them to bring evidence,” Bhandari adds, “Finally, we provided them some copies from the IOC and they were speechless.” “This is crazy, both NOC president Rukma Shamser Rana and gen. secy. Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan received USD 5,000 each, but why did they betray the players since they are sitting at a responsible post to uplift the players’ standard,” Bhandari questioned.
NNIPA General Secretary Kumar Bahadur Karki also flayed the ‘black act’ of NOC. NOC officials had confused the players saying their bank account was frozen by Nepal Government due to conflict between NSC and NOC. “But we have proof. How can they pay 2.3 million rupees to a travel agency just after coming back from Athens if their bank account was frozen,” NNIPA Gen Secretary Kumar Bahadur Karki told Nepalnews.
After the historic agreement between NNIPA and NOC recently here in Kathmandu, NOC had promised to clear all due this week. The players to receive allowances are Rajendra Bhandari (Athletics), Kanchi Maya Koju (Athletics), Nayana Shakya and Alice Shrestha (Swimming) and Sangina Baidhya (Taekwondo).