Mikia Kalati
TEAM Lesotho, which is preparing for the upcoming African Union Council (AUSC) Games scheduled for Botswana in December this year, says it is ready to do battle despite the financial challenges that it is facing.
Lesotho’s participation in the games was nearly derailed after failure to meet registration deadlines for the competition.
The Lesotho Sports and Recreation Commission (LSRC) was in the process fined M150 000 for late registration for the games to be held from 7 to 16 December 2018 in Botswana.
However, general team manager Mathabo Lelimo told this publication that their team comprising of athletics, boxing, football females, volleyball males, tennis and elite athletes with a disability (EAD) were able to report for camp during the Independence holiday.
“We managed to have camp during the Independence holidays, of which the turn up was good and the athletes are promising,” Lelimo said.
“I think the only problem is that they are not training constantly and have experienced fitness problems but we are still working though we are still waiting for the budget allocation for the games from the ministry of Sports.”
Lelimo said she is confident that they will get the funds soon so that they can assist some of the athletes who report for training during the weekends when they are not busy with school commitments.
“Experience has taught me that we need to have things done on time so that we do our preparations on time, but the truth must be said, we have never failed to make it to the games.
“Only that this always brings inconvenience to our preparations but there are positives in that the team was in camp recently and will continue training on weekends,” she said.
The team will have another camp early in December before they depart for the games in Botswana on the 5th of December.
Lesotho will host the 2020 edition of the games.
