MASERU — Likhopo FC says it cannot afford to pay the M20 000 fine imposed on the club by the Lesotho Football Association (Lefa) a fortnight ago.
The team were fined M20 000 for misconduct by one of their supporters during the Vodacom Soccer Spectacular last November.
Likhopo were given seven days to appeal the judgment, which lapsed last Thursday.
Team manager Qamako Mahao told the Lesotho Times they do not have enough funds to pay the fine.
“We are going to sit down and discuss the judgment when it finally reaches our office. But I can assure you that we do not have enough funds to pay this fine,” Mahao said this week.
“We will probably agree to lodge an appeal and if we lose the appeal, we do not and we will not have enough funds to pay this fine,” he said.
In previous years Likhopo have survived on donations from well-wishers and supporters to keep the team afloat.
Mahao said this year the team’s financial position was better because it got M360 000 after winning the Vodacom Soccer Spectacular tournament in November last year.
But he said even that prize money has already been used up or is committed to the team’s other pressing needs.
Likhopo cannot afford to pay the fine, Mahao said.
Mahao however said they are still to discuss the fine because Lefa has not given them a written judgment.
“We are still in the dark concerning the M20 000 fine because Lefa has not given us their judgment,” he said.
“We’ve therefore decided to ignore this matter because they have not given us the judgment till now (Wednesday),” Mahao said.
But Lefa’s facilities and administration manager Mokhosi Mohapi was adamant Likhopo got the judgment.
“They did get their judgment but I do not know when,” Mohapi told the Lesotho Times.
“Maybe they have not yet received the written judgment but they were given it verbally,” he said.
The judgment came after an alleged Likhopo supporter — David Seutloali — publicly called for the resignation of the Vodacom Soccer Spectacular organisers accusing them of poor management.
Seutloali’s comments angered Lefa who later called Likhopo for a disciplinary hearing.
Seutloali has since been banned from attending any premier league matches for a year.
