The 2016 Olympics were formally opened with a colorful and pulsating ceremony at Rio’s Maracana stadium in Brazil on Friday. Among the crowd of over 11,000 athletes from 206 countries, Nepal’s Olympics contingent was led by the judo player Fupu Lhamu Khatri in the opening ceremony. It was such a proud moment for every single Nepali to watch this small group of people clad in Daura-Suruwal and Saree, waving the triangular shaped flags. Just look at this beautiful moment.

We really wish we could just let you enjoy the moment for a while but there’s something that’s not right and we need to tell you about it. Here’s the thing, there are seven athletes – Gaurika Singh (Swimming), Nisha Rawal (Taekwondo), Phupu Lhamu Khatri (Judo), Saraswati Bhattarai (Athletics), Jit Bahadur Moktan (Archery), Sirish Gurung (Swimming) and Hari Kumar Rimal (Athletics); representing Nepal in the Olympics this year. But in the opening ceremony, only four of the athletes were present as the rest of them are still in Nepal. Rimal, Bhattarai and Rawal still haven’t reached Rio yet and will be leaving later this week only. The reason? It’s pretty lame. According to Nepal Olympic Committee, as the three players have their games scheduled on Tuesday and Wednesday, they would be leaving for the venue late. Another reason being, as it’s a long route and due to the Olympics, the air tickets were not available. Wow! Such a satisfying justification that is. As the athletes could not get the air tickets, they decided to take forty one officials with them instead. Bravo!

According to National Sports Council, the authorities had approved for 22 delegates, including the athletes and the officials, for the Rio trip but without even providing any information to the government, the Olympic Committee took the decision of taking the unnecessary number of people to the venue.

‘Dignity’, ‘Respect’ and ‘Pride’ are alien terms to these people and all they want is a vacation to an exotic place for free. Everything is a joke to these people, even the nation’s pride. Shame on you, guys. Shame on you!

We just hope, no ‘politics’ gets near our athletes and they are able to perform their best and make the nation proud of them.