On Tuesday, May 21st, a football tribunal at the headquarters of the Lesotho Football Association, Bambatha Tšita, ruled in favor of Manonyane Football Club in a contentious dispute against Liphakoe Football Club. The tribunal, overseen by DISPROCO, found that Liphakoe had fielded an ineligible player, Thabang Mofihli, during a crucial match in week 28 of the Vodacom Premier League (VPL) season, where Liphakoe FC defeated Manonyane FC 2-0.
Manonyane FC, facing potential relegation to the A Division after losing a head-to-head tiebreaker with ACE Maseru and CCX, lodged a formal complaint seeking redress for what they viewed as a breach ofpremier league rules. They argued that Thabang Mofihli was ineligible to play for Liphakoe FC, as he had initially been registered with Roma Boys (A Division Team) at the start of the season. The discrepancy, Manonyane FC pointed out, lay in the registration details: Mofihli’s middle name appeared in Liphakoe’s records but was absent from Roma Boys’ registration.
As part of their evidence, Manonyane presented a letter from Limkokwing University FC, indicating that Mofihli was loaned to Liphakoe FC on August 28, 2023, on a half-year loan set to expire on December 31, 2023. Manonyane argued that since there was no extension for this loan, Mofihli should have returned to Limkokwing University FC, rendering his participation in the match against them illegitimate.
Liphakoe FC countered the allegations, asserting that they had adhered to proper transfer procedures when acquiring Mofihli from Limkokwing University FC. They expressed shock at the claim that Mofihli was also registered with Roma Boys. Liphakoe sought to introduce witnesses from Roma Boys to testify, but the court disallowed this, noting that these witnesses had already been present in the courtroom and had listened to prior testimonies, which could compromise their impartiality.
In a related development, CCX FC, another club being relegated from the VPL, petitioned the court to also grant them 3 points and 3 goals, citing Mofihli’s participation in their match against Liphakoe FC. However, the court dismissed their claim, stating that they should have filed a protest in accordance with VPL rules at an earlier stage.
Ultimately, the tribunal ruled in favor of Manonyane FC, awarding them 3 points and 3 goals from the disputed match. This decision allowed Manonyane FC to retain their status in the Premier League, while CCX FC faced relegation to the A Division. The ruling underscored the critical importance of adherence topremier league rules and regulations and their consequences, this decision did not only impact the immediate futures of Manonyane FC and CCX but also set a significant precedent for how player registration issues should be handled in the VPL, ensuring that clubs are diligent in their administrative processes to avoid similar disputes in the future.
