体坛英语新闻：Lesotho boxing saga turns ugly

MASERU, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Lesotho Amateur Boxing Association (LABA) is in limbo as the Lesotho National Olympic Committee (LNOC) has remained adamant they will not endorse their executive committee before a probe on its legitimacy is over.

LNOC public relations officer Moshoeshoe Mokake said they have withheld the approval of the LABA executive committee at the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) until a probe on its legitimacy is finalized.

"We have information and protests from some members of the former executive committee of LABA that their February national elections were not held in line with the order of the High Court of Lesotho and their constitution.

"We felt a need to exercise our obligation of ensuring that our affiliates maintain good governance in their leadership structures through thoroughly investigating this matter," he said.

The current boxing association executive committee led by Fako Hakane assumed power six months ago.

This followed a move by the High Court of Lesotho to declare the association's polls of August 29, 2009, where former executive secretary Takatso Ramakhula was appointed president null and void.

The court had also ordered that LABA should organize fresh elections hence the birth of Hakane's committee.

Mokake said just like the Lesotho Sport and Recreation Commission (LSRC) had probed the case, the LNOC had an equal obligation to look into the LABA saga.

"We had asked the LSRC to include us in the proceedings of this case to avoid duplication of duties but to no avail.

"But as an autonomous body, we decided to do separate investigations on the LABA after failure to join hands on it with the LSRC.

"We are not starting the case afresh, as the current LABA committee imply in their press statement because we had it on our table soon after their disputed February elections," he said.