Why not put a sports project in the investment conference?

Sports-related projects were also not showcased at the

Investment Conference-2017. 16 companies expressed their intention to invest only in areas other than sports. In the investment conference-2019, 77 projects were 'soaked' by the private sector and the government. Even in that conference, the government did not 'soke' the project related to sports. 148 projects have been selected for the next week's investment conference. The Investment Board has said that there are zero projects related to sports this year as well.

Although projects in tourism, energy, infrastructure and information technology sectors have attracted the attention of the government and private sector, it seems that they have been 'excluded' from sports. Pradyumna Upadhyay, the spokesperson of the Board of Investment, informed that no information was received from the Ministry of Youth and Sports even when the project was requested. "We requested the project from all the ministries, but no information came from the Ministry of Youth and Sports," he said, "Sports-related infrastructure and stadiums are under construction in many places. Some places have studied about it. We are also seeing that there is not enough investment in the stadium. But the proposal has not come from the ministry. Upadhyaya says that it may have been difficult because the project was tried to be 'promoted' in the private-public-partnership model and there is no project on how to work in sports.

Even if the project that gives returns to investors will be taken to the investment conference, it may not be feasible in sports, said Shiv Prasad Regmi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. "We were told to propose some project from the investment board, the ministry had also requested the National Sports Council," he said, "but no possible project related to sports came from the council." That's why no government project went for the conference. He says that even though a lot of sports related infrastructure needs to be built, investors will only be attracted to projects that will yield returns. Gautam Buddha International Cricket Stadium in Chitwan, Moolpani Cricket Stadium in Kathmandu and Cricket Stadium in Biratnagar will be built by the government. Regmi said that it may not have been sent to the investment conference because India has already committed to build Fapla Stadium.

Due to lack of infrastructure, there is a history of not even being able to play the games that should be played at the home ground. Nepal had to play the second round of the joint qualifiers for FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup 2027 in Bahrain on March 8 after Dasharath Stadium was not eligible to play. Earlier, when the Dasharath stadium was under reconstruction, in 2019, Nepal had to play a match against Kuwait in Thimphu, Bhutan as part of the World Cup qualifiers. In this way, even though there is a lack of infrastructure for international and national sports, there is no project related to sports in the next week's investment conference-2024.

Minister of Sports Virajbhakta Shrestha said that the ministry will request not to miss the points of youth and sports in the investment conference. Let's imagine, what will happen if the match between India and Pakistan takes place here? Let's find a neutral venue," he said. "This year, I would like to make a special request to put a project related to sports in the investment conference." He said that there are many points of youth and sports in the goal of sustainable development and more requests will be made to the investment board.

The prime minister and former prime minister who visited Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground, Kirtipur to watch the national/international level cricket tournament have been saying that Nepal can become a neutral venue for India and Pakistan. But stakeholders say that the government has not paid attention to the investment in sports infrastructure and sports tourism sector. They say that the government and the private sector are unaware that sports can be an important part of the country's economic prosperity. They demand that the government should create an environment where the private sector can also build and invest in sports related infrastructure. CAN secretary Paras Khadka says that the country's sports sector is deprived in terms of state and budget. The sports sector has always been deprived of access to government resources. Although two/four associations have strengthened the association on their own,' he said, 'now the government should pay attention to the sports sector.' Director Deepak Bist says. A big conference of investors is taking place. But there are no projects in the sports sector," he said.

It has not been done to show the hope that investment can come in the sports sector as well. However, we are hoping for cricket and football.'' says Tanklal Ghisingh, member secretary of the National Sports Council, despite the increase in private sector investment in gyms and swimming pools. "Cricket sector has become an enterprise sector, we have sent several proposals to make it a priority, but there has been no hearing," he said.