Moorosi Tsiane
ELSEWHERE in this newspaper we carry a story on the Lesotho Boxing Association (LeBA) finally holding its long-awaited executive committee elections on Sunday.
Former public relations officer Katiso Tšenoli was elected the new president.
Former national team coach Liphalo Moeketsi was elected the vice president admin while Thabiso Mateane was elected vice president technical and Lehlohonolo Snyman is the new secretary.
Like many others involved in local sports, I am relieved that the elections finally been held and I want to believe that this marks a new era for the boxing community where internal conflicts will become a thing of the past.
The conflicts have taken too long and that has hindered the progress of the sport that has been regarded as one of the few with the most potential especially on the international front.
Apart from athletics, boxing is the only other sport that has won a medal at the Commonwealth Games with Ezekiel Letuka winning bronze in the Manchester 2002 edition while Moses Kopo also won silver in Melbourne 2006.
What has puzzled me however, is that the national coaching post was also being contested in the polls.
This was my first time to hear of an election for a coach. The normal practice is for coaches to be appointed.
I don’t have any problem with the ‘elected coach’ Hopolang Mabele but LeBA must correct this.
If a national coach is elected then that means whoever can campaign can land the positions despite their qualifications and capabilities.
This must be changed and the sitting committee must start using a system that will give them what they are looking for and not anyone who gets the highest votes.
We have worked with Tšenoli when he was the association’s spokesperson and he looked passionate about boxing and I hope he does his bets along with the whole committee to bring back the sport to its former glory from the 90s and the 2000s
Some local boxers are already in Senegal where they are competing to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. This means there is a lot that must be done to ensure that the country can send boxers for the Olympics unlike in 2016 when Lesotho only had the late Inkululeko Suntele and Moroke Mokhotho at the Rio Games.
