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{{Short description|Nepalese footballer}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Ganesh Thapa
| native_name        = गणेश थापा
| native_name_lang   = ne
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|1960|10|09|df=y}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://the-anfa.com/article-PresidentCV |title=President's Profile |website=All Nepal Football Association |access-date=9 November 2015 |archive-date=7 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151207053643/http://the-anfa.com/article-PresidentCV |url-status=live }}</ref>
| module             = {{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes
   | office        = President of<br />the All Nepal Football Association
   | term_start    = 1995
   | term_end      = 2015
| module2        = {{Infobox football biography
| embed          = yes
| position       = [[Midfielder (association football)|Midfielder]], [[Forward (association football)|Striker]]
| years1         = 1978–1981
| clubs1         = Royal Nepal Airlines
| years2         = 1981–1982
| clubs2         = [[Mohammedan SC (Dhaka)|Mohammedan SC]]
| years3         = 1982
| clubs3         = [[Abahani Krira Chakra]]
| years4         = 1983
| clubs4         = [[Dhaka Wanderers]]
| years5         = 1984
| clubs5         = [[East Bengal Club|East Bengal]]
| years6         = 1985–1986
| clubs6         = [[Mohammedan SC (Dhaka)|Mohammedan SC]]
| years7         = 1987–1988
| clubs7         = [[Manang Marshyangdi Club|Manang Marshyangdi]]
| years8         = 1988–1989
| clubs8         = [[Rahmatganj MFS]]
| nationalyears1 = 1979–1989
| nationalteam1  = [[Nepal national football team|Nepal]]
}}
}}
}}

'''Ganesh Thapa''' ({{langx|ne|गणेश थापा}}) is a retired international [[association football|football]] player and a former president of the [[All Nepal Football Association]] (ANFA).<ref>{{Cite web | title =Ganesh Thapa retains ANFA presidency | work =Nepal News | publisher =Mercantile Communications | date =8 September 2009 | url =http://www.nepalnews.com/main/index.php/news-archive/4-sports/1334-ganesh-thapa-retains-anfa-presidency-.html | accessdate =16 January 2010}}{{dead link|date=April 2014}}</ref> He was formerly the president of the [[South Asian Football Federation]] and the vice president of [[Asian Football Confederation]] (AFC).<ref>[http://www.srilankafootball.com/ffsl/news198.shtml Sri Lanka Football Federation<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924105151/http://www.srilankafootball.com/ffsl/news198.shtml |date=2015-09-24 }}<br/>- {{Cite web | title =Ganesh Thapa no longer SAFF president | work =República Sports | publisher =Nepal Republic Media | date =4 October 2009 | url =http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=10404 | access-date =16 January 2010 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20100205082427/http://myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=10404 | archive-date =5 February 2010 | url-status =dead | df =dmy-all }}</ref> He is considered one of the greatest Nepali footballers of all time.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |url=https://example.com/book/swarnakatha/ |title=Swarnakatha}}</ref> He scored the first international goal for Nepal against [[Philippines national football team|Philippines]] in [[King's Cup (Thailand)|King’s Cup]] - [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]] in 1982.<ref name=":0" /> He also served as [[Member of parliament|Member of Parliament]] in [[2nd Nepalese Constituent Assembly|Constituent Assembly of Nepal.]] <ref>{{Cite web |title=Thapa nominated CA member |url=https://kathmandupost.com/sports/2014/08/30/thapa-nominated-ca-member |access-date=2025-06-13 |website=kathmandupost.com |language=English}}</ref>

==Family==
Thapa is the younger brother of politician [[Kamal Thapa]]. Thapa is married to Hajuri Thapa and has two sons, Gaurav Thapa and Abhishek 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 Football League|Dhaka First Division League]] for [[Mohammedan SC (Dhaka)|Mohammedan]], [[Rahmatganj MFS]] and [[Dhaka Wanderers]]. Thapa also represented [[Abahani Krira Chakra]] at the 1981–82 [[Aga Khan Gold Cup]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dhakapost.com/sports/football/20503|title=আমি ফুটবল রাজনীতির শিকার|website=dhakapost.com|date=29 March 2021 |access-date=2022-10-07|archive-date=2022-10-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221007112817/https://www.dhakapost.com/sports/football/20503|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
===International goals===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+List of international goals scored by Ganesh Thapa<ref>{{NFT player|84365|access-date=13 February 2025}}</ref>
! scope="col" |No.
! scope="col" |Date
! scope="col" |Venue
! scope="col" |Opponent
! scope="col" |Score
! scope="col" |Result
! scope="col" |Competition
|-
| align="center" |1
| 7 May 1982
| [[Bangkok]], Thailand
| {{Fb|THA}}
| align="center" |1–3
| align="center" |1–3
| [[1982 King's Cup]]
|-
| align="center" |2
| 4 September 1983
| [[Dhaka Stadium]], [[Dhaka]], Bangladesh
| {{Fb|BAN}}
| align="center" |
| align="center" |2–4
| [[1983 Bangladesh President's Gold Cup|1983 President's Gold Cup]]
|-
| align="center" |3
| rowspan="2" |18 September 1984
| rowspan="2" |[[Dasharath Stadium]], [[Kathmandu]], Nepal
| rowspan="2" |{{Fb|MDV}}
| align="center" |
| rowspan="2" align="center" |4–0
| rowspan="2"|[[Football at the 1984 South Asian Games|1984 South Asian Games]]
|-
| align="center" |4
| align="center" |
|-
| align="center" |5
| rowspan="2" |20 September 1984
| rowspan="2" |Dasharath Stadium, Kathmandu, Nepal
| rowspan="2" |{{Fb|BHU}}
| align="center" |
| rowspan="2" align="center" |5–0
| rowspan="2"|1984 South Asian Games
|-
| align="center" |6
| align="center" |
|-
| align="center" |7
| 4 December 1986	
| Dasharath Stadium, Kathmandu, Nepal
| {{Fb|BAN}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |1–0
| 1986 Panchayat Silver Jubilee Cup
|-
| align="center" |8
| 21 November 1987	
| [[Salt Lake Stadium]], [[Kolkata]], India
| {{Fb|BAN}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |1–0
| [[Football at the 1987 South Asian Games|1987 South Asian Games]]
|-
| align="center" |9
| 25 April 1987	
| Dasharath Stadium, Kathmandu, Nepal
| {{Fb|PAK}}
| align="center" |2–1
| align="center" |2–2
| [[Football at the 1988 Summer Olympics – Men's Asian Qualifiers|1988 Summer Olympics qualifiers]]
|-
| align="center" |10
| rowspan="5"|23 November 1987
| rowspan="5"|[[Salt Lake Stadium]], [[Kolkata]], India
| rowspan="5"|{{Fb|BHU}}
| align="center" |
| rowspan="5" align="center" |6–2
| rowspan="5"|[[Football at the 1987 South Asian Games|1987 South Asian Games]]
|-
| align="center" |11
| align="center" |
|-
| align="center" |12
| align="center" |
|-
| align="center" |13
| align="center" |
|-
| align="center" |14
| align="center" |
|-
|
|}

==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 rewards for players

==Corruption case==
Following the corruption case of [[Mohammed bin Hammam]]. British newspaper “The Sunday Times” reported that [[All Nepal Football Association|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.<ref>{{Cite web|title=UK based newspaper says ANFA prez Thapa received £115,000 from Hammam|url=http://www.nepalnews.com/index.php/sports-archive/35411-uk-based-newspaper-says-anfa-prez-thapa-received-£115,000-from-hammam|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160114083130/http://www.nepalnews.com/index.php/sports-archive/35411-uk-based-newspaper-says-anfa-prez-thapa-received-%C2%A3115,000-from-hammam|archive-date=2016-01-14|access-date=2021-03-31}}</ref> [[Associated press|The Associated Press]] revealed that Thapa received an illegal gift of [[USD|$]]100,000 from bin Hammam in 2009. The money was deposited into the personal bank account of Thapa's son, Gaurav Thapa.<ref name="THT" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Hammam+deposits+USD+100000+in+Thapa%27s+son%27s+A%2FC&NewsID=340385|title=Ganesh Thapa's son "got USD 100000 from bin Hammam"|date=21 July 2012|work=The Himalayan Times|accessdate=26 April 2014|archive-date=1 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301210802/http://thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Hammam+deposits+USD+100000+in+Thapa%27s+son%27s+A%2FC&NewsID=340385|url-status=dead}}<br/>- {{cite news|url=http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/e0785e4b623440a782adeaa2bd28463a/SOC--AFC-Bin-Hammam|title=Bin Hammam received 30 days suspension over corruption case|work=The Republic|accessdate=27 July 2012}}{{dead link|date=April 2014 }}</ref>

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.<ref name="THT">{{cite news|url=http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Ganesh+Thapa+says+he%27d+borrowed+fortune+from+bin+Hammam&NewsID=340391|title=Ganesh Thapa says he'd borrowed fortune from bin Hammam|work=The Himalayan Times|date=21 July 2012|accessdate=26 April 2014|archive-date=1 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301210305/http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Ganesh+Thapa+says+he%27d+borrowed+fortune+from+bin+Hammam&NewsID=340391|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In November 2015 the [[FIFA Ethics Committee]] banned him for 10 years.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ganesh Thapa: Ten-year ban for Nepal FA president|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/34832327|website=BBC News|accessdate=16 November 2015|date=16 November 2015|archive-date=17 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117024713/http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/34832327|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/nov/16/fifa-nepal-ganesh-thapa-10-years |title=Fifa bans Nepal FA president Ganesh Thapa for 10 years over bribery |date=16 November 2015 |work=The Guardian |accessdate=10 June 2016 |archive-date=13 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160813101700/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/nov/16/fifa-nepal-ganesh-thapa-10-years |url-status=live }}</ref>  Thapa appealed the decision to [[FIFA Appeal Committee]]. The Appeal was rejected and his ban from FIFA Ethics Committee was partially confirmed. His ban started on 16 April 2015 and ended on 16 April 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 April 2016 |title=FIFA Appeal Committee passes decisions on Ganesh Thapa |url=https://inside.fifa.com/organisation/committees/media-releases/fifa-appeal-committee-passes-decisions-on-harold-mayne-nicholls-and-ga-2782224}}</ref> 

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.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cowan|first=Sam|date=2017-02-05|title=Corruption in world football and the fall of Ganesh Thapa|url=https://www.recordnepal.com/wire/corruption-in-world-football-and-the-fall-of-ganesh-thapa/|access-date=2021-03-31|website=The Record|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-01-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121052232/https://www.recordnepal.com/wire/corruption-in-world-football-and-the-fall-of-ganesh-thapa/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Honours==

'''Nepal'''
* [[Football at the South Asian Games|South Asian Games]] Silver medal: [[Football at the 1987 South Asian Games|1987]]<ref>{{cite web |title=3rd South Asian Federation Games 1987 (Calcutta, India) |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/safg87.html |website=RSSSF |access-date=2022-07-30 |archive-date=2014-07-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140703010034/http://www.rsssf.com/tabless/safg87.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thapa, Ganesh}}
[[Category:Football people in Nepal]]
[[Category:Nepalese sports executives and administrators]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Nepalese men's footballers]]
[[Category:Nepal men's international footballers]]
[[Category:All Nepal Football Association]]
[[Category:Mohammedan SC (Dhaka) players]]
[[Category:Abahani Limited Dhaka players]]
[[Category:East Bengal Club players]]
[[Category:Dhaka Wanderers Club players]]
[[Category:Rahmatganj MFS players]]
[[Category:Manang Marshyangdi Club players]]
[[Category:Banned sportspeople]]
[[Category:1960 births]]
[[Category:Men's association football players not categorized by position]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Nepalese expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Nepalese expatriate sportspeople in India]]
[[Category:Members of the 2nd Nepalese Constituent Assembly]]
[[Category:South Asian Games medalists in football]]
[[Category:South Asian Games silver medalists for Nepal]]
[[Category:Association football executives]]
[[Category:Sportsperson-politicians]]