Kathmandu, Aug. 18 -- It took footballer Aashish Rai over a year of silent suffering to finally speak out. His injury was mishandled from the outset; he was mistreated during rehabilitation; and the All Nepal Football Association, the country's football governing body, had provided only erratic support.

Even that meagre backing came to a complete halt following FIFA's suspension of ANFA on June 24. Rai then found himself stranded in Bangkok, Thailand, where the governing body had sent him for treatment. Left with no choice, Rai was forced to go public with his ordeal. He hoped the new Balendra Shah administration would step in to take responsibility for his recovery as he was injured while playing for the country.

But more than a month ...