The SAFF/BFF president appreciated how the Bhutanese players did not create a scene, but showed respect for the Maldives Anthem, which was accidentally played

The host of the 11th South Asian Games bungled while playing Bhutan’s national anthem during the second football match against Bangladesh at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on 1 February.

According to reports, Mohamed Afsal, a journalist from Maldives identified that the national anthem of Maldives was being played instead of Bhutan’s just prior to the start of the game.

“By the time it was identified that it was wrong the anthem, it was too late,” he said.

According to Tshering Namgay, Chef-de-mission, the correct national anthem was given to the organisers prior to the games.

“This is a serious offence to the nation,” he said.

“We have lodged a complaint to the organisers and they are investigating it at the moment,” he added.

Speaking exclusively to BHUTAN TODAY, Kazi Salahuddin Ahmed, president of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) and Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) said that this mistake was not acceptable.

However, according to him the football tournament is being organized by Bangladesh Olympic Association.

“All I can say is that we apologise and that we are sorry for what happened,” he said.

“Bhutan is a friend of Bangladesh and what happened is sad but it wasn’t done intentionally. We apologise to the people of Bhutan,” he added.

He also said: “When the wrong national anthem was being played the Bhutanese players did not protest at all, they even stood still. If it had been another country they would have made a huge issue out of it”

According to reports, the disc provided to the organisers was titled Bhutan national anthem.  “We don’t know how this happened,” they said.

Earlier, the hosts were embarrassed when the lift at a city hotel crashed down leaving six Nepali players and one official injured before the start of the opening ceremony. The newly-built Wooden Floor Gymnasium experienced a 45-minute power cut before the inaugural ceremony of badminton on Sunday and the organizers played the old national anthem of Nepal during the opening match.

By Dawa T Wangchuk in DHAKA