Influence Of Caste And Ethnic Groups On Nepalese Sports

Introduction
Just around 53 years ago, Nepalese people got chances of playing modern sports. Before sports was confined within the
places of Rana regime (For 104 years) and Nepalese people got very less chances of enjoying modern games. 60
percent sports associations have no sports facilities and it’s surprising to know that most of the association doesn’t have
their association office. The main purpose of the present study was to find out the relation between number of athletes’
participation in the various games in National and International Games and the infrastructure dispersion around the
country.

Methods
Altogether 1996 athletes were studied form National Games, Olympic Games, Asian Games Participants and South
Asian Federation Games medal winners. Simple mathematical tools like means were used for the analysis. List of sports
infrastructure in Nepal is based on Sports Diary published by NSC. Distribution of various castes and ethnic groups’
participation in different games during 5th National Games is from Souvenir published by NSC, 5th National Games
(2001): Souvenir, Press and Publicity Department.

Results

NOTA: O texto com a iconografia está no anexo.

Discussion/ Conclusions
Due to twelve years (1991 New Multi-Party Democracy) of unplanned staff increased by various political parties’
government in Nepal, most of the fund which NSC gets from the government is spent on salaries of coaches and
administration staffs. In spite of meager sports infrastructures in Nepal, there exists more than 45 National Sports
Associations in Nepal. According to the statistics, it is clear that 60 percent sports associations have no sports facilities
and it’s surprising to know that most of the association doesn’t have their office room. President and General Secretaries
of those associations do run association office through their briefcase carrying stamp and letter pads.
Out of 393 men and women medal winner (Gold, Silver, and Bronze) athletes studied in this section, Newar had
dominated with 138 winners (35.11 %) and they are followed by Chhetri, Bahun, Mongolian, and Gurung caste and
ethnic sportsmen with 113 athletes (28.75 %), 40 athletes (10.18 %) 39 athletes (9.92 %) and 16 athletes (4.07 %)
respectively coming at the top five caste and ethnic groups. Other five castes and ethnic groups’ share of medal winners
are very less below 5 % of sports men. Similarly out of 393 medal winners athletes studied, 77 athletes are females
(19.59 %) and more than 80.0 % are men.

Conclusions
5th National Games: According to the number of sportsmen suppose to participate in the 5th National Games Chhetri,
Newar and Bahun came at the top three positions with 413 athletes (31.12%), 219 athletes (16.15%) and 180 athletes
(13.56%), respectively.
Olympic Games: Until last summer Olympic Games in Sydney 2000, 64 Nepalese Athletes had participated in the
Olympic Games. Except in 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, where Nepali Taekwondo (Demonstration event) players
Bidhan Lama’s Bronze Medal winning effort, Nepal has yet to prove its potentials in the highest level of competition on
earth.
Asian Games: In Asian Games, Nepal had won only one silver medal and 17 bronze medals. 212 athletes from Nepal
had participated in the Asian games and that comprises 180 men athletes (84.91 %) and 32 women athletes (15.09 %).
South Asian Federation Games: Out of 393 men and women medal winner (Gold, Silver, and Bronze) athletes studied
in this section, Newar had dominated with 136 winners (34.61 %) and they are followed by Chhetri, Bahun, Mongolian,
and Gurung caste and ethnic sportsmen with 115 athletes (29.26 %), 41athletes (10.43 %) 38 athletes (9.67 %) and 16
athletes (4.07 %) respectively coming at the top five caste and ethnic groups.

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NOTA: O texto com a iconografia está no anexo.

Arquivo