sports

Nov. 23, 2020

STAFF REPORTER

3 min read

LeFA accuses Tampane of meddling

LeFA accuses Tampane of meddling

The Minister of Gender, Youth, Sports and Recreation Likeleli Tampane

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Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) has taken a shot at the Minister of Gender, Youth, Sports and Recreation Likeleli Tampane, accusing her of interfering with the association’s affairs.

The association on Saturday released a press statement expressing its dismay after it learnt that Tampane had instructed the National COVID-19 Secretariat (NACOSEC) to stop assisting the football mother body in its fight against the spread of the Coronavirus among its officials, players and fans.
The development came to light earlier on Saturday when LeFA’s secretariat asked to be guided on the return of spectators in the upcoming 2020/21 Confederation of African Football (CAF) CL match between Bantu FC vs Nkana scheduled for November 29.

The statement shows that NACOSEC consequently informed LeFA that Minister Tampane had ordered them to refrain from helping assisting LeFA in its fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
It said since the formation of NACOSEC about five months ago, both LeFA and NACOSEC have had cordial relations aimed at guiding the former to realise a safe return to football activities.

“It is also important to inform the football fraternity that even when drawing the local hosting guidelines, LeFA worked with NACOSEC and the World Health Organisation (WHO) office in Lesotho and submitted the same guidelines to the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) and CAF, hence the general approval to return to football having satisfied the two international mother-bodies that the guidelines did indeed provide for a safe football environment considering the prevailing COVID-19 conditions. The same guidelines were submitted to the office of Prime Minister Dr Moeketsi Majoro who approved and endorsed them,” adds the statement.
It says even in the recent AFCON Qualifier hosted by LeFA between Likuena and Benin, NACOSEC had at the request of LeFA, assigned a number of officials to observe the latter’s adherence to the guidelines.
The amicable relationship has also extended to the B Division Play-off tournaments which are been held in Qacha’s Nek, Leribe and Thaba –Tseka.

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The statement further shows that the discord with the minister is so disturbing that it is tantamount to interference on the part of the minister.

“This is something that will leave LeFA with no option but to inform the international mother bodies (CAF and FIFA) accordingly of the directive and interference by Minister Tampane in the affairs of LeFA,” adds the statement.

Efforts to get comments from the minister and the ministry’s public relations officer on the matter were unsuccessful as their telephones rang unanswered.

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