MASERU — An A Division match between Butha-Buthe Fast XI and Qalo FC was abandoned last weekend after Butha-Buthe Fast XI failed to provide match balls, the Lesotho Times can reveal.
In a bizarre weekend for local football, the tie between Butha-Buthe Warriors and Nyenye Rovers had to be cancelled as well because the home team failed to prepare the ground.
The two matches were all scheduled to take place in Butha-Buthe.
But the two home sides could now find themselves in soup after they failed to abide by the first division rules and regulations.
A Division Management Committee (Admaco) communications and marketing manager, Lehlohonolo Borotho, told the Lesotho Times on Tuesday this was intolerable.
“It is not in the spirit of developing football that we postpone games for useless reasons like not having balls or unprepared grounds,” Borotho said.
“It should not be allowed to happen in our games in any way.”
He said his committee only registers teams on condition they had adequate balls, jerseys and a ground.
Borotho said it was unforgivable for a team to cite failure to have a ball as a reason for the postponement of a match.
“We have bigger things that we must be worried about that can lead to the postponement of games, but certainly not having a ball or a host team failing to prepare the ground,” Borotho said.
He said Butha-Buthe Fast XI and Butha-Buthe Warriors could face severe punishment once they table the match reports before the committee.
The Admaco committee follow the rules and regulations governing premier and A division leagues when disciplining such teams.
“All the teams registered by the management committee have taken an oath to abide by the rules and regulations which are very clear,” Borotho said.
“Each team must have balls, jerseys, a ground and lime and all the teams know this and have agreed to abide by these rules,” he said.
Butha-Buthe Fast XI coach Leponya Borotho on Tuesday acknowledged that their match against Qalo FC failed to take place because they did not have balls.
“Our caretaker was not made aware that there would be a match on Saturday so he went away without providing one,” Borotho said.
“We looked for balls but those we found did not have pressure hence the match was called off.”
Efforts to contact Butha-Buthe Warriors were not successful.
