Nepal football star Sabitra Bhandari seeks public support for knee surgery and recovery

Nepal’s national women’s team captain Sabitra Bhandari (Samba) has asked fans and well-wishers for financial help after suffering a serious knee injury that requires another major operation and long rehabilitation.

The striker revealed through social media that both the previously repaired ACL graft and the MCL in her right knee are damaged again. Because of the complexity of the injury, she wants treatment at Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital in Qatar the same facility where she successfully recovered from a similar injury in 2021.

According to Bhandari, insurance money from her club Wellington Phoenix will not be enough to cover surgery and 7–8 months of rehabilitation. The estimated cost of treatment is about $80,000 (around Rs 1.15 crore).

She suffered the injury on January 3 during an A-League match against Brisbane Roar after colliding with the goalkeeper. This is the second ACL injury in the same knee, and she is expected to stay out of football for at least 9 to 12 months.

Bhandari said she had hoped to receive strong institutional support like last time, but assistance has not progressed as expected, forcing her to seek help directly from supporters. After she shared the appeal, donations quickly began coming in through online crowdfunding and bank transfers, with fans across Nepal and abroad expressing solidarity.

Meanwhile, the football governing body stated it is coordinating with international partners and government agencies to help arrange treatment, though discussions and procedures are still ongoing. As Nepal’s all-time leading goal scorer and one of South Asia’s most successful women footballers, Bhandari said she hopes the support will allow her to undergo surgery soon and focus on returning to the field.