# Ganesh Thapa

Ganesh Thapa (Nepali: गणेश थापा) is a retired international football player and a former president of the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA). He was formerly the president of the South Asian Football Federation and the vice president of Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

## Family

Thapa is the younger brother of politician Kamal Thapa.

## Playing career

Before becoming the president of ANFA, Thapa was a national football player and captain from 1979 to 1989. He played for East Bengal FC in the Calcutta Football League. He also played in the Dhaka First Division League for Mohammedan, Rahmatganj MFS and Dhaka Wanderers. Thapa also represented Abahani Krira Chakra at the 1981–82 Aga Khan Gold Cup.

## Career statistics
### International goals

List of international goals scored by Ganesh Thapa :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 4 September 1983 | Dhaka Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh | Bangladesh | | 2–4 | 1983 President's Gold Cup |
| 2 | 18 September 1984 | Dasharath Stadium, Kathmandu, Nepal | Maldives | | 4–0 | 1984 South Asian Games |
| 3 | 18 September 1984 | Dasharath Stadium, Kathmandu, Nepal | Maldives | | 4–0 | 1984 South Asian Games |
| 4 | 20 September 1984 | Dasharath Stadium, Kathmandu, Nepal | Bhutan | | 5–0 | 1984 South Asian Games |
| 5 | 20 September 1984 | Dasharath Stadium, Kathmandu, Nepal | Bhutan | | 5–0 | 1984 South Asian Games |
| 6 | 4 December 1986 | Dasharath Stadium, Kathmandu, Nepal | Bangladesh | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1986 Panchayat Silver Jubilee Cup |
| 7 | 25 April 1987 | Dasharath Stadium, Kathmandu, Nepal | Pakistan | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1988 Summer Olympics qualifiers |
| 8 | 23 November 1987 | Salt Lake Stadium, Calcutta, India | Bhutan | | 6–2 | 1987 South Asian Games |
| 9 | 23 November 1987 | Salt Lake Stadium, Calcutta, India | Bhutan | | 6–2 | 1987 South Asian Games |
| 10 | 23 November 1987 | Salt Lake Stadium, Calcutta, India | Bhutan | | 6–2 | 1987 South Asian Games |
| 11 | 23 November 1987 | Salt Lake Stadium, Calcutta, India | Bhutan | | 6–2 | 1987 South Asian Games |
| 12 | 23 November 1987 | Salt Lake Stadium, Calcutta, India | Bhutan | | 6–2 | 1987 South Asian Games |

## Changes to the Nepali football made under Thapa

* Started the already stopped ANFA Martyr's Memorial A-Division League
* Created ANFA Youth Academy
* Gave special focus to youth football
* Tried to make Nepali Football League system more professional
* Development of Nepali Football
* Better facilities and better rewards for players

## Corruption case

Following the corruption case of Mohammed bin Hammam. British newspaper “The Sunday Times” reported that All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) president Ganesh Thapa had received £115,000 from the banned president of Asian Football Confederation and FIFA’s executive committee. The Associated Press revealed that Thapa received an illegal gift of $100,000 from bin Hammam in 2009. The money was deposited into the personal bank account of Thapa's son, Gaurav Thapa.
Thapa later claimed that he borrowed the money for his personal use, and such a revelation would not tarnish the image of Nepal and Nepali football.
In November 2015 the FIFA Ethics Committee banned him for 10 years. Thapa, who was also a member of Nepal’s parliament, appealed the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
In 2016, Mani Kunwar, Thapa's brother-in-law, became vice president of ANFA.
In 2017, Thapa stated that as far as the corruption case was concerned, he had already received clean chit in Nepal, and that time would prove that he was innocent in relation to cases outside Nepal.

## Honours

Nepal
* South Asian Games Silver medal: 1987