(MENAFN- The Post) MASERU – The Lesotho Boxing Association (LEBA) has expressed grave concern about the number of athletes who have been murdered, either stabbed or shot, in recent years.
LEBA's sentiments come after the death of 30-year-old boxing star Mokhachane Moshoeshoe who died last Saturday night after being stabbed by an unidentified man at one of Khubetsoana's beer houses.
Moshoeshoe is said to have frequented the establishment and last Saturday he got into an argument which ended in nothing.
He was then confronted by the suspect about his habit of causing trouble and Moshoeshoe tried to speak to him.
Onlookers say the boxing star then slapped the suspect. Moshoeshoe thought it was over but the suspect pulled out a knife and stabbed him. He was killed on the spot.
Moshoeshoe's family went for his post-mortem yesterday and the results were still unknown at the time of writing.
According to LEBA spokesperson, Rethabile Mohale, Moshoeshoe's death is a significant loss for boxing because he was planning to enter LEBA's coaching ranks.
Mohale said LEBA had been writing proposals to the previous government to fund a coaching course it wanted to host, but LEBA was told at every turn that there was no money.
Mohale said he believes if Moshoeshoe had gone for training, his frequent visits to the beer house might have been reduced.
Coaching is more than just teaching kids how to fight, he said, such courses help people become responsible individuals who know how to conduct themselves.
“He is not the first (and) not the second (victim), this has been happening a lot, it is either a knife or a gun,” Mohale said.
“You know when you are trying to find something to keep you busy, it's just that we have had a government that didn't care, we have written letters asking for funding to host a coaching course and we were told there was no money all the time,” he said.
“We had been talking with Mokhachane that he needs to get into coaching because he didn't go to the Commonwealth Games because he was injured. If we were able to host that course, you know when you have something to live for, (and) you become responsible. You are taught how to behave because you are working with kids, you are expected to be an example,” he said.
In 2020, Moshoeshoe was part of a five-man team of boxers that travelled to Dakar, Senegal, in an attempt to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games. The other athletes he travelled with were Tlholohelo Mokhesi, Moroke
Mokhotho, Qhobosheane Mohlerepe and Arena Pakela. Moshoeshoe's parents have already passed on and he leaves behind a brother.