Moorosi Tsiane
THE government is yet to decide how much it will give to the Lesotho Sport and Recreation Commission (LSRC) for Covid-19 relief funds.
This was said by the director of sports in the Ministry of Gender, Youth, Sport and Recreation Puisano Tšosane during a press conference this week.
The joint media briefing also included the LSRC and the Lesotho National Olympics Committee (LNOC).
LSRC spokesperson Teboho Rakhomo said they have submitted a M6 million budget to the ministry.
The ministry asked national federations to compile budgets and indicate how they have been affected by Covid-19 since the halting of sporting activities in March this year.
“We asked our affiliates to submit how they have been affected by Covid-19 and how they would like to be assisted,” Rakhomo said.
“They submitted the budgets which amounted to M6 million and we submitted it to the ministry. We are now awaiting the ministry’s response. Minister Likeleli Tampane has told us that there are available funds and we will get them.”
In the meantime, the LSRC has been trying to assist the athletes by giving them food parcels.
“First, we must make it clear that associations equally have a responsibility of raising their own funds because we can only assist to a certain extent depending on the subvention that we get from the ministry. However, we have been trying to assist athletes by donating food parcels to those identified by the associations as the most vulnerable.”
Tšosane confirmed receiving the LSRC’s budget but said they had trimmed it.
“We have indeed received their budget and the minister has agreed that we give them money but it is likely to be less than the M6 million that they requested. We haven’t agreed on the figures yet but they will indeed get the money.
“We can’t say when the money will be ready but there are also some food parcels that we will be handing over to 150 athletes soon,” said Tšosane.
