Ganesh
Thapa, the disgraced former captain and sacked chief of the All Nepal Football
Association (ANFA), is believed to have amassed fame and fortune both through
football. Thapa, the most decorated sportsperson of the country once, has been
kicked out of football by apex football body FIFA one and a half month earlier.
Along
with his ‘popularity’, Thapa is also the most controversial sports figure of
the country. Though his contemporary players like to describe him as a gifted
player, many of them level him an arrogant and cunning person.
His
football career was eclipsed after he was handed a 10-year ban from all
football related activities on November 16 earlier this year for misusing his
power and for personal and family gain.
Apart
from being founding president of South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) for
10-years from 1999, he also succeeded to become the Vice President of Asian
Football Confederation (AFC) in 2011 largely due to blessing of then chief of
Asian governing body chief Mohammed bin Hammam rather than by his personal
capability. However, it is a biggest honor a Nepali football administrator has
achieved at the international level. He was also the Disciplinary Committee Member of 2002 Korea-Japan World
Cup and Organizing Committee member of 1998 France World Cup.
He was forward and captain of the national team which won football gold in the first South Asian Games in 1984 and left out from the sixth edition of the games in 1993 (Dhaka, Bangladesh) which also repeated the same feat. He later misbehaved the coach Dhan Bahadur Basnet for isolating him from the team.
After making his entry as football administrator in 1995, Thapa manhandled a sports journalist in 2002 alleging him of not writing on his favor. At the ANFA too he was a hate figure for his harsh remarks, autocratic and short tempered nature. Neither his old allies at the football governing body nor the lately recruited staffers dared to share their feeling openly with him. “On most of the occasions he never listened to other’s advice since he believed that implementing and listening others idea would be threat to him,” an ANFA insider said in the condition of anonymity.
The star forward of 80s and early 90s, was a loved figure and earned admirer throughout the country for his footballing skills. Many believe him to be the first sports star of the modern era. He was among handful of first generation of players to trade his skills outside Nepal. He played professional football (semi professional then) in Bangladesh and India.
Political reach of Thapa family and influence of his elder brother Kamal Thapa (deputy prime minister and foreign affair minister of current collation government) became the major tool for Thapa’s nomination as ANFA chief back in April, 1995.
Since then despite going through several controversies, he had managed to get rid from all of them leaving aside the latest ban imposed him by FIFA, the apex international football body.
During a corruption probe against him by the Public Account Committee of Legislature-Parliament on September last year, Thapa not just denied his involvement in corruption but also made a harsh challenge to prove them.
Paradoxically, while the CIAA was investigating corruption charge against him he was nominated the member of Legislature-Parliament by RPP-Nepal, the party headed by his elder brother Kamal Thapa. He was nominated in recognition of his contribution to Nepali football.
Rise at ANFA
Thapa regime at ANFA lasted for two decades since his appointment at ANFA in 1995. Since long time Thapa has been playing of divide and rule game not only against his opposition but also to anyone he feels threat. His other source of power became the expansion of districts associations. Since he took over at ANFA deposing Rukma Sumsher Rana, he has formed more than two and a half dozen of district associations with each of them holding voting rights. Most of them are/were loyal to ousted Thapa.
Besides this, offering chance to visit foreign countries to them and other voters during AFC\FIFA seminars and workshops were his key tools to woo them. Thapa has created such a situation that other voters -- chiefs of coach, player, referee and women committees – will be assured of the positions only if they were loyal to him.
Thapa legitimized his status in ANFA with sham election six months after his appointment at ANFA in 1995 . In 2000 he was sacked by the National Sports Council and Vice President Geeta Rana was nominated the chief with support of 21 out of 31 executive committee members. But he managed to have upper hand in internal politics of ANFA time and again and also won recognition from AFC and FIFA.
He also managed to defuse the protest of A and B division clubs in 2006. The clubs had formed a parallel Nepal Football Association under initiation of Bijay Narayan Manandhar (president) and Indra Man Tuladhar (general secretary). Later Manandhar was elected vice president and Tuladhar nominated CEO in ANFA under Thapa’s presidency in 2009. Four years later he was again elected the President of ANFA unopposed.
Rise in international football politics
Thapa’s rise began after winning founder president of SAFF in 1999 which held seven important votes in AFC then. He was elected the executive committee member of AFC on 2003 and 2007 respectively.
Later, he turned to be ardent supporter and close-confidant of the AFC President Bin Hammam and was elected the vice president of AFC as a reward through 2011 general assembly from the Qatari’s camp. But Thapa’s downfall at international politics began after Hammam faced life ban from FIFA six months after retaining position at the AFC.
Downfall
Thapa, one of the heavyweights in international football politics and the close aide of Hammam gradually saw his influence decline following life ban on Bin Hammam in July 2011. Though, Thapa was still the vice president of the AFC then, was revealed of having received $ 100,000 from Hammam’s coffers in 2009. A year later Thapa was reported to have received £ 115,000 again from Hammam. Thus he became an international suspect of corruption and a target to the oppositions of Hammam.
His tussle with three agitating vice presidents of ANFA – Karma Chhiring Sherpa, Bijay Narayan Manandhar and Kishor Rai –turned another setback on him. The three vice presidents (later sacked by ANFA) submitted a complain against Thapa at the Public Account Committee (PAC) of legislature-parliament and Ethics Committee of FIFA along with some of the evidences in May and June 2014. The PAC concluded that Thapa was involved in financial irregularities of Rs 581.7 million and directed anti-graft body Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) to carry separate investigation and take action against him. At the same time, PAC also forced him to step aside as ANFA boss until the investigation concludes. He however managed to get clean chit from CIAA on February earlier this year.
But the revelation by PAC and international pressure on FIFA to make the football governing body corruption free and complain letter from vice presidents trio prompted FIFA Ethics Committee to carry a separate investigation on Thapa. Thapa was initially suspended for four months on November 2014 by the Ethics Committee during probe period and later for additional three months in March.
On November 16 earlier this year the probe committee concluded Thapa’s involvement in corruption. He was banned for 10 years and fined Swiss Franc 20,000 (around 2.1 million).
Positives
Thapa initiated to run the Martyrs Memorial National League regularly, though it was not often regular due to conflict and internal politics of ANFA. The structure of the league was never fixed and changed time and again. He also set up the youth academy at the various parts of the country including in the capital. He was successful to motivate corporate houses to invest in football and also run football activities throughout the year. He is also successful in bringing huge amount foreign currency from AFC and FIFA for Nepali football.
(This article was published in November 2015 in Nsports)
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