The Nepali team, before leaving for Beijing to take part in the 29th Olympic Games, were put in hot water at Monday night at the airport, local newspaper The Rising Nepal reported on Tuesday.
Nepal Republic Sports Federation (NRSF) and Employees Association of Sports (EAS) on Monday tried to obstruct the participation of the unrelated officials in the summer games slated to start from Aug. 8 in China.
The two associations claimed that officials representing Nepal had been selected in nontransparent way. But the protestors bade farewell to the players wishing them best of luck, at the Tribhuwan International Airport in Nepali capital Kathmandu.
NRSF President Jayendra Bahadur Chand said that they tried to obstruct the participation of unrelated officials with an intention to develop the sports sector in a new way in the nation's changed context. "We requested those officials not to go with the players but they did not show their morality," Chand added.
Around 300 members from NSRF and EAS gathered at the airport to protest. Nepal Police had to disperse the protestors from the airport. Chand informed that around six protestors were injured.
Along with eight athletes, 24 others including coaches, sports officials and government officials are participating in the Beijing Olympics.
(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2008)