Nepal gets an additional welcome

Doha: Nepal was officially welcomed to Doha twice on Thursday after the wrong anthem was played during the flag-raising ceremony.

Nepal and Laos, countries with small delegations, were greeted by Asian Games Mayor Ahmad Abdullah Al Khulaifi at the same time.

But after the official speeches were done and Nepal's flag slowly climbed the pole, the strains of Nepal's old anthem sounded across the open-air theatre.

The Nepal delegation gave no sign that anything was wrong, standing with their hands over their hearts, but later refused to leave the arena.

A short discussion between officials from Nepal's National Olympic Committee and the Doha Asian Games Organising Committee (DAGOC) 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.