Kathmandu, Oct. 27: Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand has assured the athletes that government would honour if they came back home with international accolades. Home Minister said it during a programme organized to honour the national football players who finished second in the SAFF Championship 2021.

Addressing the programme, Home Minister Khand further said, "All members of Nepali football team and management will be conferred if they won in the next game."

The Nepali football team ended runner-up in the recent SAFF Championship held in Maldives, after qualifying for the finals for the first time in the near-three decade history of football match. Nepal lost to India 0-3 in the final match.

The programme was organized by Nepali Congress Tarun Dal Central Working Committee in the federal capital on Wednesday. At the programme, Minister Khand announced that every player would be provided Rs 500 thousand cash prize and members of team management Rs 300 thousand. "It is an incentive to the players. It helps boost Nepali sports sector," he believed.

On a different note, he informed that efforts were underway in Nepal Police to bring some newness and changes. Now onwards, no high level official in Nepal Police address junior staff in a belittling manner, saying 'Ta'. Even a directive was issued to ban the use of belittling word to junior policepersons, he added.

On the occasion, chief of sports department in the NC and central member Shankar Bhandari said development of sports could reflect the development of country. NC is committed to realizing the expectation of sports-friendly development policy.

Similarly, Chairperson of All Nepal Football Association, Karma Chhiring Sherpa expressed happiness over the initiation of honour to the football players.