Moorosi Tsiane
THE Premier League Management Committee (PLMC) has charged LDF and LMPS with misconduct. It has also docked them six points each for failing to honour their Vodacom Premier League (VPL) matches in June.
LDF failed to honour fixtures against Liphakoe and Likhopo while LMPS failed to play Linare and Kick4Life.
The two sides failed to play the games because some of their players were with the national team which was preparing for the COSAFA Cup.
Three LMPS players Sekhoane Moerane, Basia Makepe and Nkau Lerotholi were with Likuena while the LDF trio of Tšepo Toloane, Koete Mohloai and Likano Mphuthi was also with the team.
“Sometime in June 2021, the association called-up a number of players for national duty from various clubs, and issued a provisional list of about 36 players. At the material time, there were about four clubs which had three or more players. The list was later whittled down to 20 players…,” reads part of a memo from the PLMC.
“…We had already planned fixtured games for the period preceding Likuena’s departure (to South Africa) …In particular LDF had two games penned in for 23 June against Likhopo and against Liphakoe on 27 June. Both games failed to take off for reasons solely attributable to acts of misconduct by LDF. By the same token, the games between LMPS and Linare on the 23 June and that of 27 June with Kick4Life, did not take place by reason of transgressions committed by LMPS.
“It is perhaps apposite to mention at this juncture that in the intervening period, prior to and after the departure of Likuena to South Africa, there were numerous engagements between the PLMC and the Lesotho Football Association (LeFA), the details of which we deem unnecessary to outline in this memo, centring on the postponement of games in which clubs with three or more players were involved.”
According to the provisions of Rule 16:7 of the Premier League and A-Division Rules and Regulations 2020, despite having more than three players on national duty, a team is enjoined to apply, if it so chooses, to the PLMC for postponement of it’s scheduled games during the duration of the call-up, the memo reads.
“Such a postponement is not automatic, as clubs can chose to honour the scheduled games without those players. Indeed; clubs like Matlama, Bantu and LCS honoured their games.
“The said rule applies in tandem with 9.4, which outlines the time frames within which such an application should be made; that is within seven days before the date of the match sought to be postponed.”
The PLMC accused the two clubs of neglecting to apply for the postponement of their games.
Each of the teams was docked six points and six goals from the concerned matches.
“We wish to conclude by reminding you our colleagues in football that the power to manage the league is vested in the PLMC in terms of the general scheme of Rule 17,” the PLMC said.
