Teboho Molapo
HLOTSE — Premier league side Joy FC have become the second team to be granted a licence by the Lesotho Football Association (Lefa).
Speaking to the Sunday Express on Friday Joy’s general manager, Tšepang Molapo, said they were delighted to receive the licence on Thursday despite being considered as one of the Vodacom Premier League’s smaller teams.
Joy were given the licence after Lefa were satisfied with the team’s legal and club ownership structures, administration personnel, as well as infrastructure.
The team’s application was also scrutinised regarding its technical staff, youth development, finance and communication facilities.
“Joy is a team that is organised. We are trying hard. If you look at the records Joy doesn’t have a single fine from last season,” Molapo said.
“We are in the process of registering players. According to our plans we should be done by next week.”
All the team’s players, including young stars Basia Makepe and Jeremia Kamele, had signed contracts, except Moli Lesesa who is in talks with newly promoted Mpharane Celtics.
“All the players have assembled for pre-season training. Everything that we do we try to go along with the guidelines of Lefa and try to move from being amateur to professional. We are not here just to make up the numbers,” Molapo said.
Lefa have announced that LDF and Lioli could get their licences tomorrow if they manage to fulfil all the requirements, while Matlama are not too far off as well.
Lefa executive committee member Rantsubise Matete two weeks ago said the issue of licensing was not Lefa’s initiative alone but it was also a directive from Caf and Fifa.
He said Caf would inspect all member associations in September to see if they have complied with the new system.
“Also starting from December, if any team has not complied with the new club licensing system, such teams will not be allowed to compete in any official international matches,” Matete said.
“For example, in January, LCS will be expected to compete in the Caf Club Championship but if by then they have not registered under the new club licensing system, they will not be allowed to take part,” he said.
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