Thinley Namgay 

Bhutan Volleyball Federation (BVBF) is upgrading the volleyball courts at Changlimithang to international standards.

The facility will have an artificial mat, toilets, lighting, locker rooms and storeroom. 

Construction of the facility worth Nu 12 million (M), funded by the government of India (GOI), began this month and is expected to complete within a year. 

BVBF was one of the first federations that Bhutan Olympic Committee (BOC) had created.

BVBF’s programme officer, Sangay Tempa, said that the federation saw negligible progress for decades due to lack of human resources, budget, and a national team. 

Currently, BVBF is one of the federations with the lowest fund allocations from the BOC every year. 

“BVBF was allocated Nu 2M from the BOC in the previous years, which was reduced to Nu 1.5M in 2020-2021 financial year.  With this amount, we have to manage staff salary, tournaments and all other relevant activities,” said Sangay Tempa.  

Until 2019, BVBF did not have a national team.   

Bhutan Indigenous Games and Sports Association is also starting construction of the traditional archery museum at Changbangdu, Thimphu.  The project worth Nu 11M is funded by the GOI and is expected to complete within 15 months. 

BOC’s project manager, Kinley Tshering, said the GOI also funded around Nu 64M for the sports infrastructure development at Paro, Haa and Tsirang.  

Artificial football turf in Paro and multisports hall constructions in Haa, Paro and Tsirang  are underway. “Around 45 percent of the work has been completed as of today. The Covid-19 pandemic hampered progress,” Kinley Tshering said.    

An artificial football turf in Haa was constructed under the project.