Ramakhula elected Laba president

MASERU — Takatso Ramakhula, who was elected the new Lesotho Amateur Boxing Association (Laba) president on Sunday, says the days of infighting within the boxing fraternity are over.

Ramakhula’s election brought to a halt a bruising four-year power struggle between him and his predecessor Makhetha Mosotho.

The boxing association had been rocked by serious infighting that saw the International Amateur Boxing Association (Aiba) threatening to ban Lesotho from international competitions.

Ramakhula said their major task now was to work on closing loopholes in the association’s constitution to ensure no infighting takes place again.

“The big fight that has been happening over the years was caused by loopholes in our constitution, which both factions were manipulating to their advantage,” Ramakhula said.

To ensure that the loopholes in the Laba constitution are addressed, Laba on Sunday elected Advocate Motlalekhotso Mabula as an ex-officio member who will mostly be working on tightening the constitution.

He said this will help ensure that no one within the local boxing fraternity uses the loopholes in the constitution to serve their personal agendas.

“The two factions were both using the loopholes in our constitution to manipulate our system and our most immediate assignment is to work on our constitution,” he said.

Ramakhula said amending the constitution to develop Laba was going to be easy because the committee is made up of former boxers.

“Luckily our committee is packed with four coaches of the highest calibre in the country and we are all hopeful that they will use such knowledge for the betterment of boxing in the country,” he said.

He said this will also help the committee come up with clear strategies for the next four years.

Laba is going to introduce monthly fights from now on as part of its strategy to ensure that boxers go through rigorous preparations before major tournaments.

“Starting from this month, we are going to organise monthly fights for our boxers to ensure that they go through certain processes before they can actually be eligible to fight in the national championship,” Ramakhula.

He said the committee was planning to introduce a national boxing league beginning next year as part of its attempts to develop the sport in the country.

Ramakhula said the committee is also in the process of filing its national coaching course proposal with the Lesotho National Olympic Committee.

“We want them to help us with the national coaching course, of which the trained coaches will be given assignments of establishing new teams as part of producing fresh talent,” he said.

“Now that we’ve been elected into office and the nation is currently in the spirit of coalition and national unity, we are also going to work harder to bring peace and stability within the boxing family,” he said.

He added: “I am also surrounded by people who are boxers themselves and understand what it is at stake here.”

Ramakhula said they were also going to work peacefully with Mosotho as the International Technical Officer within the International Amateur Boxing Association.

“It is a must that we peacefully work together for the benefit of developing boxing in the country.”

Laba committee members:

President – Takatso Ramakhula, Vice President – Liphalo Moeketsi, Secretary general – Thabiso Mokuoane, Vice secretary general – ‘Masetota Leshota, Treasurer – Teboho Mafatle, Public Relations officer – Thapelo Motsetsela, National coach – Thabiso Mateeane, Sports organiser – Sibusiso Keketsi, Members – Moeketsi Maitin and Mpoi Matete and Ex-officio member – Advocate
Motlalekhotso Mabula.