sports

Oct. 6, 2020

TEBOHO JAFETA

2 min read

LNOC in a financial fix

LNOC in a financial fix

LNOC spokesperson Moshoeshoe Molapo

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THE LESOTHO National Olympic Committee (LNOC) is in a serious financial crunch and has consequently requested government’s intervention through a subvention to cover the body’s administrative costs.

This emerged during a joint press conference which was held by the Ministry of Gender, Youth, Sports and Recreation, the LNOC and the Lesotho Sport and Recreation Commission (LSRC) in Maseru on Saturday. 

LNOC publicist Moshoeshoe Molapo said: “Our coffers are empty because our funder, the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s money generating activities have also been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The LNOC he said gets funds from the IOC through the Olympic Solidarity programmes.

Molapo also showed that they have so far managed to assist nine athletes by giving each M8 000 to survive during the COVID-19 induced lockdown, while six other athletes enjoy full sponsorships from the Olympic Solidarity.

Speaking at the same event, LSRC spokesperson Teboho Rakhomo said the sports commission’s own pockets are dry and they expect the federations under them to fund their own activities.  

“When we are in a financial crisis, hence we expect federations to fund themselves because they registered as independent bodies capable of handling their own issues,” he said, adding that unfortunately federations expect the LSRC to bail them out of every situation.

Rakhomo said seven sporting codes under the LSRC have been given the green light to resume activities.

“We, however, have to be cautious that they do not turn out to be the source of the spread of the infection,” he said.

Unlike before, he said the sports fraternity is now represented at the National COVID-19 Secretariat (NACOSEC).

“We are now represented by Moipone Mashale together with a task team comprising six people,” Rakhomo also said.

He noted that the LSRC through the sports ministry has requested M6 million from the government for the COVID-19 relief fund to cover all sports codes.

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The LSRC, he further showed also intends to distribute food parcels to 150 athletes as the second phase of food parcels distribution.

For her part, the Director of Sports Puisano Tšosane said although they have requested the M6million for the relief fund, the Ministry of Finance has since instructed them to tone it down a bit.

She said they should also review the food parcels they are giving to the athletes and perhaps give them something that could sustain them even beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The food parcels should be substituted with something that can sustain their survival after COVID-19,” Tšosane also stated.

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