A four year old tiff between the Lesotho  and its former treasurer has resulted in the latter, now a Lesotho Amateur Boxing Association team manager, being refused permission to join the boxing team in Melbourne, Australia. 

The LNOC has confirmed that it has rejected LABA official Takatso Ramakhula’s name being included among officials accompanying the team to the Commonwealth Games.

National Olympic Committee spokesperson, Manyathela Kheleli, said although Ramakhula had been appointed by LABA as team manager, the latter was still under suspension until 2008 for his failure to submit financial statements for the Manchester Commonwealth Games, as LNOC treasurer, four years ago. 

He had also been found guilty of being unruly, disrespectful and also of influencing other athletes to misbehave. Recently Ramakhula influenced Commonwealth bronze medalist Sephula Letuka not to participate in a reception ceremony of the Queens Baton Relay.

Letuka and Thabiso Moqhali were to be honoured as the only two athletes to have earned medals from the Games thus far.

30 January 2006