MASERU - Matlama FC are to wait until next week Monday in order to hear the verdict in the case where they appealed the judgment dispensed by Disputes and Resolutions Committee (DISPROCO) two weeks ago.
sports
Aug. 19, 2020
TEBOHO JAFETA
3 min read
Verdict set for next week on Matlama appeal
DISPROCO had earlier dismissed a case whereby Matlama challenged the Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) National Executive Committee (NEC) resolution to declare Bantu FC champions of Econet Premier League for 2019/2020 season.
LeFA Appeals Board panel on Monday heard the arguments from all the parties involved in the case. The applicants Matlama FC were represented by Attorney Tumisang Mosotho, while the respondents LeFA NEC and Bantu FC were represented by Attorney Qalehang Letsika and Advocate Tefo Rabolinyane respectively.
Mosotho challenged the judgment that the NEC resolution was consistent with the regulations and the LeFA Statutes. He further argued that the NEC resolution based on Article 50, does not give the NEC authority to violate the provisions of the rules of the leagues.
He further said while the State of Emergency does curtail people's rights, there should be a law that does enable the curtailing of rights.
He said the NEC resolution is unfair as teams had not played the same number of matches and that had it been the NEC had used a points-per-game system to decide, that would have been a solution as speculatively the positions would have changed.
He submitted that Matlama were not striving to be declared the champion, but argued that the NEC resolved in an unfair manner.
In leading the respondents, Letsika referred the panel to pages 41 and 42 of the proceedings, particularly the consultative meetings where Matlama were present represented by the President and secretary and argued that it cannot be that the decision reached by LeFA NEC is unfair.
He further submitted that Matlama never raised concerns about the recommendations. He presented the notion of majority rule even if they were not satisfied by the decision of the consultative meetings of the Premier League Management Committee (PLMC) and clubs.
For the issue of the determination of the good play and bad play being rewarded, he said Matlama went about arguing the case of Linare not Matlama.
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Letsika referred to the current state of Emergency whereat sport is prohibited. Therefore, there being no sport exercised, article 50 of the Statutes were now put to place and that the NEC did not arbitrarily use it but consulted extensively, he pointed out, saying the situation presently is abnormal and would apply when it is normal. All rules do not apply because article 50 being superior, he outlined, given that the situation has not been provided for by the regulations and statutes but give authority to the NEC to decide.
Letsika pleaded that the appeal be dismissed with costs because Matlama have always been part of the consultative meetings and were party to the decision making process.
The panel of the Appeals Board concluded that the submissions have been challenging and the panel will have to have some time to dispense the judgment and concluded that the judgment will be delivered on Monday at 2pm.
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