Kathmandu, Feb 23: Sabitra Bhandari, captain of the Nepali national women’s football team, has appealed to supporters for financial assistance to undergo treatment for a serious knee injury.
Bhandari, popularly known as “Samba,” said she has been sidelined for the past seven weeks after sustaining a severe injury to her knee. According to her, the graft placed during a previous ACL surgery, along with her medial collateral ligament (MCL), has been re-injured, requiring another complex surgical procedure.
While her earlier treatment was managed with the support of the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), Bhandari said she has not received the expected administrative and financial assistance this time.
“However, this time I did not receive the expected administrative and financial support from ANFA,” she said, adding that the surgery date had to be postponed due to financial constraints and procedural delays.
Bhandari noted that her current club is willing to arrange treatment at a local hospital in New Zealand. However, she intends to travel to Qatar for advanced care at Aspetar, where she previously underwent high-level treatment.
“My club has shown readiness to arrange treatment at a local hospital in New Zealand, but I want to return to a hospital in Qatar for high-level treatment,” she said. She estimates the total cost of surgery and rehabilitation at around 80,000 US dollars.
She has urged supporters in Nepal to contribute through QR code or bank transfer, while international supporters can assist via a Givealittle fundraising link.
In an emotional appeal, Bhandari said, “This is the toughest battle of my career. I am tired, but not defeated. I will return to the field wearing Nepal’s jersey once again.” #nepal #samba
She writes:
