By Sachit Subba • Off-Field • May 08, 2026 14:04 PM • 49 views
KATHMANDU – Nepal gains a significant boost in technical representation, as veteran official Gopal Shrestha takes on the role of International Technical Official (ITO—a certified referee responsible for ensuring fair competition and enforcing rules) for the prestigious 2026 AWF Asian Senior Weightlifting Championships. Shrestha will serve on the officiating panel for this premier continental event, which takes place in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India, from May 9 to 17. His selection highlights the growing influence of Nepali technical expertise within the Asian Weightlifting Federation (AWF), a sports body that governs weightlifting in Asia.
The Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) held a formal send-off ceremony on Friday at its headquarters in Satdobato to honour Shrestha’s appointment. Acting President Ashok Bajracharya, Vice President Jyoti Rana, and Secretary General Rajiv Shrestha offered their best wishes to the official, celebrating his departure as a moment of pride for the nation’s sporting community. During the ceremony, Acting President Bajracharya praised Nepal Weightlifting Association (NWA) President Ram Krishna Shrestha for his relentless efforts to secure international exposure (participation and visibility in sports events outside Nepal) for the sport, noting that such opportunities bridge the gap between Nepal’s standards and international benchmarks (accepted norms and performance levels in global sports).
Nepali officials now join elite continental tournaments as a strategic milestone in the country’s sports development. Secretary General Rajiv Shrestha emphasised that increased participation in technical roles—not just as athletes but as adjudicators—elevates the stature of Nepali sports internationally. Key stakeholders, including NWA Secretary Kumarman Shrestha and Olympian Rajendra Bahadur Pradhan, attended the ceremony to highlight a unified front as Nepal continues to expand its footprint across the international weightlifting landscape.
