Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Lesotho Volleyball Association (LVA) suspended all volleyball training sessions and games until further notice following the introduced stringent measures owing to an increase in COVID-19
cases by the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Hon. Mathibeli Mokhothu on July 1st. LVA statement that was issued on July 08th showed that pursuant to legal notice number 74 titled Public
Health (COVID 19) Risk determination and Mitigation Measures (Amendment) (No.3), Regulation 2021, all LVA clubs and members are kindly be informed that the LVA
Executive Committee in its sitting of July 07th resolved to suspend all volleyball games and training sessions. LVA Public Relations Officer (PRO) Hlapane Tšehlo in an exclusive interview on Friday told Informative Sport that following
the government gazette which stipulated that the clubs are to continue with sporting activities provided they fully comply with Covid-19 procedures, the association
also consulted the Lesotho Sports and Recreation Commission (LSRC) for guidance going forward. He said LVA urges its players, referees and spectators to take
care of themselves, wear masks frequently and avoid the super spreader places like public bars. Tšehlo indicated that LVA was in preparations for the league games which were scheduled to start on August 12th
with the preseason tournaments. Asked about what will be the way forward by the time the government offers a green light on continuation with the games, he
said it will depends whether there will have enough time to carry on in August and be able to squeeze the games to fit in the same season. “We will still
need guidance on whether to start with the tournaments or continue with the league games. However, for the reason that there is a pause, possibly we can
have a warm up tournament so that the players can respond quickly,” Tšehlo noted. Meanwhile, the Lesotho Premier League Committee (PLMC) released the statement on July 07th regarding the return
to football without spectators. The statement noted that following the Covid-19 national address by the DPM, Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) issued a
circular dated July 2nd advising LeFA structures, League Management Committees, Referees Committees and clubs to adhere to the regulations that suspend the attendance of spectators to the ongoing matches.
“Due to lack of infrastructure, in case where there is double header, match A is expected to commence at 11:00hrs with
only hundred participants in the perimeters (yard) of the ground. After match A all those participants are expected to leave the ground and match B participants can start preparing with the 1 hour period between the second
kick-off,” the statement reads. It further showed that pre-match meetings will be held two hours before the kick-offs, each club is expected to present the following: Training screening forms as well as the match day
screening form, hand sanitizer, match balls, playing kit and the spread sheet that will be used to record the match officials temperatures, management, police, media houses and the PLMC members who may be at the match.
