Kathmandu. Nepali women’s national football team captain Sabitra Bhandari (Samba) has publicly appealed for financial support. Samba, who has been out of action for seven weeks with a serious knee injury, has been forced to ask fans for help as she could not raise $80,000 for treatment.
Samba has been diagnosed with both a previous graft and MCL in the ACL of his knee. According to the doctors, a complex surgery will be required again, which will be followed by a 7-8 month long rehab process.
Earlier, high-level treatment was made possible at Aspetar Hospital in Qatar at the initiative of ANFA. She was able to return to the field soon as financial and administrative support was available on time. But this time the situation is different.
The dissatisfaction expressed publicly by the captain of the national team has raised questions about the efficiency of the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA). However, ANFA has claimed that necessary coordination is being made for the treatment.
According to him, although it was said that the administrative process would be forwarded from ANFA, it was not implemented. It was difficult to contact him repeatedly. Finally, it was informed that administrative support was not possible from the ANFA president. Cash assistance of up to Rs 5 lakh was offered, but the rest of the process was asked to be done on its own. As a result, the procedure was halted and the surgery date was delayed. Almost two months have passed, but the treatment has not been finalized.
Samba has played in Israel, France, New Zealand and Australia. If the national captain, who has played all the way to Europe, has to ask for public help for treatment, then the question automatically arises as to what will happen to the other players.
Although her club is ready to be treated in New Zealand, due to the severity of the injury and previous successful treatment, she wants to undergo surgery again in a Qatar hospital. Even if the club receives insurance money, it will be insufficient to cover surgery and long-term rehab expenses.
Many players in Nepal are playing without adequate insurance coverage. Injuries put careers in jeopardy. Complaints about delayed or inadequate institutional support are frequent. For the national team captain to mention that he had to come to the supporters after the ANFA, which he considered as his guardian, had to come out in front of the fans, it was not only an emotional but also an indication of a structural problem.
Why is there no permanent medical insurance fund for national players? Why is the emergency treatment mechanism not activated for players playing at the international level? Who will take responsibility for the lack of coordination between the federal government and the union?
Sabitra ‘Samba’ is not an athlete’s personal problem – it is a mirror of the weakness of the Nepali sports structure. If a captain who is 100 per cent dedicated to the country should seek public support for treatment, it is a moment of self-assessment for the entire sporting administration.
Now the question is not just about $ 80,000 – the question is, how secure is the future of Nepali players?
Support Samba’s Surgery : Stand with Sabitra on her Road to Recovery – Givealittle
