(MENAFN- The Post)
MASERU - Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) head coach Motheo Mohapi has been handed a five-match ban by the Premier League Management Committee (PLMC) for his role in LDF's disruptive behaviour in the Independence Cup against Matlama last month.
LDF players and coaches stunned fans in attendance at Setsoto Stadium in their semi-final against Matlama when they refused to continue with the match after Matlama scored in the second half to take a 2-1 lead.
LDF protested that the goal should not have stood but officials waved away their complaints.
With LDF refusing to play on, the semi-final was abandoned after a long discussion, much to the embarrassment of the PLMC and sponsors of the Independence Cup – main sponsors Standard Lesotho Bank as well as Metropolitan Lesotho, Builder's City, Maluti Mountain Cement and Econet Telecom Lesotho.
Matlama were awarded the semi-final victory and advanced to the final where they were eventually crowned champions of the annual showpiece.
Of the five games Mohapi has been banned for, two have been suspended under the condition he is not found guilty of the same offence within the next six months.
Mohapi will start his suspension on January 17.
Mohapi is not the only member of the army side to be served their marching orders. His star player Tšepo Toloane has been banned for two games after refusing a man-of-the-match award after an Independence Cup third-place playoff win over Bantu, after the LDF's shenanigans against Matlama.
One game has been suspended and Toloane will also serve a one match suspension starting on January 17.
Both Mohapi and Toloane have been ordered to write a letter of apology to the league before February 17 according to PLMC spokesperson Moeketsi Ramakatsa.
'LDF as a team have been fined M10 000 and half of that has been suspended on condition they must not be found guilty of the same offence within a year, but M5 000 is payable at the end of February,' Ramakatsa said.
'Tšepo Toloane refused the (man-of-the-match) award (against Bantu) therefore he forfeits the prize money and has been suspended for two games with one game suspended,' he added.
Ramakatsa continued: '(Toloane's) suspension will be effective from January 17 and has been ordered to write a letter of apology, the same applies to coach, Motheo Mohapi, he has been banned for five games with two of those suspended and he also has to write a letter of apology. Like Toloane, his suspension will become effective on January 17.'
'We believe this will send a message to other teams who may want to engage in that sort of behaviour that it will not be tolerated,' Ramakatsa said.
'M5 000 is a lot of money to come from the club especially because you need money to run the club, and if they are found guilty within the said timeframe the suspended M5 000 comes back and they will have to pay it as well,' he said. The PLMC has come under the scrutiny for taking its time with the case only to deliver what many fans feel is a slap on the wrist as clubs can easily pay the money they have been fined.
Tlalane Phahla
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