體壇英語資訊：Lesotho boxing saga turns ugly

The Lesotho Amateur Boxing Association (LABA) is in limbo as the Lesotho National Olympic Committee (LNOC) has remained adamant they will not endorse their executive committee before a probe on its legitimacy is over.

LNOC public relations officer Moshoeshoe Mokake said they have withheld the approval of the LABA executive committee at the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) until a probe on its legitimacy is finalized.

"We have information and protests from some members of the former executive committee of LABA that their February national elections were not held in line with the order of the High Court of Lesotho and their constitution.

"We felt a need to exercise our obligation of ensuring that our affiliates maintain good governance in their leadership structures through thoroughly investigating this matter," he said.

The current boxing association executive committee led by Fako Hakane assumed power six months ago.

This followed a move by the High Court of Lesotho to declare the association's polls of August 29, 2009, where former executive secretary Takatso Ramakhula was appointed president null and void.

The court had also ordered that LABA should organize fresh elections hence the birth of Hakane's committee.

Mokake said just like the Lesotho Sport and Recreation Commission (LSRC) had probed the case, the LNOC had an equal obligation to look into the LABA saga.

"We had asked the LSRC to include us in the proceedings of this case to avoid duplication of duties but to no avail.

"But as an autonomous body, we decided to do separate investigations on the LABA after failure to join hands on it with the LSRC.

"We are not starting the case afresh, as the current LABA committee imply in their press statement because we had it on our table soon after their disputed February elections," he said.

The LNOC publicist said the delay of the probe was also attributable to uncooperative behavior of the Hakane group.

"The LNOC have, on several occasions, summoned the group which is currently said to be running the boxing association to discuss this problem without any success whatsoever.

On the other hand, the group of those complaining has been cooperative and we have their side of the story," he said.

The current LABA secretary general Monethi Monethi had, in a press statement, said they snubbed the LNOC summons for the case because, "It was not procedural for a closed case to be re-opened by another party just because somebody claims they were not part of the proceedings. It could have only been dealt with if it was an appeal."

Monethi had said they would not be drawn into power-struggles of the LNOC and LSRC, adding if the case was dealt with by one of them, everyone would have to respect the verdict.

"LNOC also had conflict-of-interest in LABA affairs as they showed allegiance with the Ramakhula-led faction during our court case because one panelist in the LNOC inquest, Mr. Tlali Rampooana, was for the other group," said Monethi's statement. "One can not be a witness and a judge in the same case."

But Mokake was quick to point out that Rampooana has since been discharged from the case to do away with any doubts about the panel.

"Mr. Rampooana was forced by law to go attest in court that he observed the exercise of the disputed elections and nothing else but he was dropped from the panel following one of the group's expression of lack of confidence on him," he said.

Mokake said they had information that AIBA would send a delegate to Lesotho in an effort to help solve the internal strife in the local boxing association, adding the move was good for the sport.

The Lesotho Amateur Boxing Association (LABA) is in limbo as the Lesotho National Olympic Committee (LNOC) has remained adamant they will not endorse their executive committee before a probe on its legitimacy is over.

LNOC public relations officer Moshoeshoe Mokake said they have withheld the approval of the LABA executive committee at the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) until a probe on its legitimacy is finalized.

"We have information and protests from some members of the former executive committee of LABA that their February national elections were not held in line with the order of the High Court of Lesotho and their constitution.

"We felt a need to exercise our obligation of ensuring that our affiliates maintain good governance in their leadership structures through thoroughly investigating this matter," he said.

The current boxing association executive committee led by Fako Hakane assumed power six months ago.

This followed a move by the High Court of Lesotho to declare the association's polls of August 29, 2009, where former executive secretary Takatso Ramakhula was appointed president null and void.

The court had also ordered that LABA should organize fresh elections hence the birth of Hakane's committee.

Mokake said just like the Lesotho Sport and Recreation Commission (LSRC) had probed the case, the LNOC had an equal obligation to look into the LABA saga.

"We had asked the LSRC to include us in the proceedings of this case to avoid duplication of duties but to no avail.

"But as an autonomous body, we decided to do separate investigations on the LABA after failure to join hands on it with the LSRC.

"We are not starting the case afresh, as the current LABA committee imply in their press statement because we had it on our table soon after their disputed February elections," he said.

The LNOC publicist said the delay of the probe was also attributable to uncooperative behavior of the Hakane group.

"The LNOC have, on several occasions, summoned the group which is currently said to be running the boxing association to discuss this problem without any success whatsoever.

On the other hand, the group of those complaining has been cooperative and we have their side of the story," he said.

The current LABA secretary general Monethi Monethi had, in a press statement, said they snubbed the LNOC summons for the case because, "It was not procedural for a closed case to be re-opened by another party just because somebody claims they were not part of the proceedings. It could have only been dealt with if it was an appeal."

Monethi had said they would not be drawn into power-struggles of the LNOC and LSRC, adding if the case was dealt with by one of them, everyone would have to respect the verdict.

"LNOC also had conflict-of-interest in LABA affairs as they showed allegiance with the Ramakhula-led faction during our court case because one panelist in the LNOC inquest, Mr. Tlali Rampooana, was for the other group," said Monethi's statement. "One can not be a witness and a judge in the same case."

But Mokake was quick to point out that Rampooana has since been discharged from the case to do away with any doubts about the panel.

"Mr. Rampooana was forced by law to go attest in court that he observed the exercise of the disputed elections and nothing else but he was dropped from the panel following one of the group's expression of lack of confidence on him," he said.

Mokake said they had information that AIBA would send a delegate to Lesotho in an effort to help solve the internal strife in the local boxing association, adding the move was good for the sport.