Teboho Molapo
MASERU — The Lesotho Volleyball Association’s (LVA) end of season Top 4 championship has been scrapped.
LVA public relations officer, Clifford Molefe, told the Sunday Express on Friday that the tournament would no longer be played because of time constraints.
The Top 4 is the season’s finale where national champions are determined and is usually played in November.
It is contested by the top four sides from the regular league season.
“We are not going to hold the Top Four anymore, what is going to come after the end of the league is the Zone VI championships in Namibia,” Molefe said.
The championships will kick off at the end of the month, he said.
“Our focus now is going to be on the championships.”
Molefe said Redskins will be leaving on November 23 or 24.
The team will compete in both the men’s and women’s categories at the Zone VI games.
Redskins’ men’s team are the defending champions after winning the title in Botswana last December.
They have enjoyed solid preparations and lifted a Four Nations Tournament title in Pretoria last week.
Meanwhile, Molefe said the league is completing its last leg of B-Division this weekend at the Lesotho Correctional Services facilities.
The A-Division’s season fixtures will only be completed next week.
Molefe said the overall season winners will be decided from the league’s final standings.
He blamed the postponement of matches during the course of the season for the developments.
“Our initial plan was to take the Top 4 and get an independent sponsor for the tournament. But the problem was that matches were not completed on schedule,” Molefe said.
“The winners will come from the league. Floating trophies and medals are already here for the teams,” he added.
Molefe said the standard of the league had continued to improve.
The LVA held a Level Two coaching course at the Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena in August which was overseen by International Volleyball Federation instructor, Samir Sayed, of Egypt.
It was attended by 15 local coaches and Molefe said it has had a positive impact.
This season the LVA introduced a football-like premier league system with relegation and promotion at the end of the season.
The A-Division is contested by champions Redskins, Lesotho Defence Force, Green Spikes, Lerotholi, Rovers, Mahlaseli, TY Ribbons and ULCE.
The B-Division comprises of Maseru LMPS, Butha-Buthe LMPS, Lesotho Agricultural College, Peka Stars and Mohale’s Hoek.
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