Moorosi Tsiane
THE Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) will have to wait for the finalisation of Matlama’s appeal case before setting the dates on which the soccer transfer window will open.
LeFA secretary general Mokhosi Mohapi said this in an interview with the Lesotho Times on Tuesday.
The winter transfer window normally starts from June until August but this year it was disrupted by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic which saw soccer and other sporting activities being halted in March.
LeFA resolved to end the season on 31 July 2020 with leagues ending in their current states.
Bantu were to be crowned champions but Matlama protested before the Disputes and Protests Committee (DISPROCO) challenging LeFA’s decision and they lost the case. They have however, appealed the ruling.
Different teams have already started signing players for the new season but will not be able to register them.
“The transfer dates haven’t been decided as yet because of Matlama’s pending appeal which will be heard on Friday (tomorrow),” Mohapi said.
He said the other challenge that they are facing is in relation to the fact that soccer activities are still barred by the country’s Covid-19 regulations.
“We must adhere to the regulations. The window will only open when soccer activities have been allowed to resume.”
Mohapi said they have unsuccessfully tried to engage the National Covid-19 Secretariat (NACOSEC) to discuss the resumption of soccer activities.
“We have asked several times for a chance to negotiate with NACOSEC but unfortunately, we have been ignored. So, there is still a long way until we can allow soccer activities to resume. FIFA has strictly advised all associations to adhere to their respective countries’ Covid-19 regulations and that is what we are doing.”
Meanwhile, a fortnight ago, seven sporting codes (athletics, golf, off road, cycling, equestrian (horse riding), paralympic-athletics, and online chess) were given the green to resume activities. They were allowed because their activities do not require the sharing of equipment.
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