Anthem goof-up leaves Nepal stranded

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Keywords: Opening Ceremony, Anthem

Doha: Three days into Doha 2006, the Asian Games have gone through its own ups and downs. While inclement weather conditions continue to be a big worry for the organisers, their biggest goof-up however took place right at the flag-raising ceremony.

The Nepalese team had to accorded welcome twice after the organisers played the wrong anthem during the official flag-raising ceremony. During the opening ceremonies, Nepal and Laos were greeted by Ahmad Abdullah Al Khulaifi, the Mayor for the Asian Games, at the same time. This happened as both the countries had smaller delegations.

However, after the official speeches were done and Nepal's flag was raised on the pole, the strains of Nepal's old anthem sounded across the open-air theatre.

The problem occurred as the Himalayan nation got a new national anthem only on Friday. The new national anthem was selected and adopted from among a total of 1,272 different ones on last Friday. The lyrics, representing national glory and people's aspirations without praising any individual and institution, were written by Pradeep Kumar Rai, a 30-year-old lawyer and part-time poet from the east of the impoverished Himalayan nation.

But the puzzled Games organiser played the old anthem to much consternation in the Nepalese camp. A short discussion between officials from Nepal's National Olympic Committee and the Doha Asian Games Organising Committee soon found a solution to the sticky problem. Nepal stayed behind after Laos returned to the Athletes Village and was welcomed again, this time with the new anthem, alongside Vietnam and India.