Mikia Kalati
THE Lesotho National Olympic Committee (LNOC) has appealed against the arbitration ruling by Advocate Monaheng Rasekoai directing them to hold fresh elections.
The LNOC has since lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) after Advocate Rasekoai recently ruled that there were irregularities in the LNOC elections that were conducted in February this year.
Matlohang Moiloa Ramoqopo was re-elected LNOC president amid allegations that she and her committee violated the constitution to prolong their stay in office.
“You will recall that after the LNOC elections early this year, some of our counterparts protested the outcome and this led to the appointment of the arbitrator to mediate in the matter,” Rampooane said.
“We subsequently called a media briefing to announce that we were withdrawing from that arbitration as we felt that the arbitrator erred and committed an irregularity by failing to control the proceedings.
“Last week the arbitrator released his report but we have decided to take the matter to a bigger body, the CAS after the ruling calling for fresh elections.
One of the complainants, Lesotho Football Association secretary general, Mokhosi Mohapi, accused the LNOC of disregarding its own guidelines concerning elections.
“The LNOC drafted and effected the guidelines regarding the elections. They introduced the notion of arbitration and it is expected that if things do not quite go according to their expectations, they should at least abide by their own guidelines.
“One really hopes that the LNOC has in its submission included the arbitration agreement, the minutes of the 26 February meeting, which should detail the wrongfully implemented amendment to the LNOC constitution and also the first award where they failed in their bid to challenge the locus standi of all associations which had been on the opposing end of the arbitration process,” he said.
Mohapi further said the LNOC should submit all information from the 17 February elections as it will give CAS more information to prove that the arbitration was right to call for fresh polls.
“We await further communication from CAS and we will take it from there,” he said.
