Moorosi Tsiane
BOKAMOSO Basketball Club player coach, Faku Masupha, was on Sunday elected the Lesotho Basketball Association (LBA) interim president as they prepare for elections.
LBA has been rocked with disputes since the election of the Francis Koma led committee two years ago.
This saw some of the LBA executive members resigning leaving just three members namely Koma; his deputy, Tefo Mosala and secretary Mamokoena Nhlapo.
Masupha, who was then the director of development, Bokang Pharela-the director referees and table officials, Relebohile Lebatla-the director women in sport and the public relations officer Ntoko Marake all resigned due to the clashes.
To worsen the situation, this year’s National Basketball League play-offs have been stalled since March.
The dispute arose between LBA and two of its clubs — T98 and Bokamoso. The association banned the two teams after it discovered that they used suspended players in their opening games of the play-offs in March.
However, even though T98 and Bokamoso were kicked out, the play-offs still could not go on as planned because the two clubs requested for talks with the association at the beginning.
Now three months later after the request for talks, nothing has happened and it remains unclear whether or not the play-offs will continue this season.
It was against this background that the Sunday Annual General Meeting (AGM) was called by Koma after a vote of no confidence had been passed against him and his committee. The new committee was eventually elected at the AGM.
According to Masupha, the committee has been mandated to prepare for elections which, he said were penned in for first weekend of July this year.
“The mandate from the AGM is that we push the association programs while at the same time we are also trying to prepare for the elections where the new committee will be elected.
“Lesotho Sport and Recreation Commission, Lesotho National Olympic Committee with their representation at the AGM advised that we hold on as the interim committee at the moment,” said Masupha.
He said they were also mandated to come up with the dates on which the play offs will resume and also ensure that other LBA programmes continue running as they are preparing for next year’s AUSC and 2022 Youth Games.
“The Lesotho Sports and Recreation Commission’s (LSRC) basketball commissioner, Manthateng ‘Mako who was also present at the AGM on Sunday, told us that we have to ensure that the play offs also continue while at the same time we continue with other programmes,” he said.
Masupha admitted that this is a frustrating phase for the LBA but said they will have to work hard to normalise the situation.
“Everyone was fed up and they wanted change hence it was immediately agreed in the AGM that we vote for the new committee. After voting, the LSRC and the LNOC advised us that it was not properly done, so we should call it an interim committee while preparing for proper elections.
“It is frustrating indeed but we can’t let basketball die. The new dates will be set and announced soon and hopefully, the new committee will be elected,” Masupha said.
LBA new interim committee:
President – Faku Masupha
Vice President – Bokang Pahrela
Secretary General – Tšeole Kojane
Treasurer – ‘Mathapelo Motsoane
Director Women in Sports – Neo Maya
Public Relations Officer-Hopolang Hoala
Director of referees – Tšeliso Kheleli
Director of Development – Phakoa Moiloa
