Kathmandu, Sept. 12: Nepal is sending a 211-member delegation to the 20th Asian Games in Japan, but only six medical personnel have been assigned to care for the health and treat injuries of 135 athletes.
The imbalance has raised questions about Nepal’s priorities, as the delegation includes many government officials and employees, while athletes have limited access to physiotherapists.
The Asian Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19, 2026 (Ashoj 3, 2083 BS). Nepal will compete in 21 sports with 135 athletes. The overall delegation includes athletes, coaches, officials and other members.
The medical team consists of four physiotherapists, one doctor and one orthopaedic and anti-doping doctor. The cricket team will have a separate physiotherapist. Officials involved in the delegation say the medical team is insufficient given the number of athletes.
Former National Sports Council member secretary Tanklal Ghising said the number of officials was disproportionately high compared with previous Asian Games.
“When there were 100 more athletes in the previous Asian Games, the number of team officials was not higher than this,” Ghising said. “The ratio does not make sense.”
He also said physiotherapists were needed not only during competition but throughout the training period. Athletes can suffer injuries during training as well as competition, making timely diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation essential.
The delegation includes Education and Sports Minister Sasmita Pokhrel, Sports Ministry Secretary Chudamani Paudel, the minister’s private secretary Diwakar Bhujel and Finance Ministry employee Subodh Khatiwada.
National Sports Council Vice Chairman Bishal Shrestha and members Pawan Shahi and Shakti Gauchan are also on the list. Member secretary Ramcharitra Mehta will serve as chief of mission, while Nepal Olympic Committee treasurer Tashi Ghale will be deputy chief of mission.
Ten National Sports Council employees are listed as headquarters officials. They include department heads, section chiefs and other employees.
Sports officials have questioned the need for such a large headquarters team. One council member said two or three officials would normally be sufficient and argued that sending 10 employees places an unnecessary financial burden on the state.
Mehta defended the list, saying everyone was selected based on specific responsibilities, including handling equipment, accounts and administrative work.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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