Motšeremeli wants rugby boss to stay
NTHAKO MAJORO
MASERU – Federation of Lesotho Rugby (FLR) Secretary General, Litšitso Motšeremeli, wants outgoing president Fetang Selialia to stay in office for another term.
This is despite the fact that Selialia, who took over leadership of the federation in 2014 after the founding president Dan Alyward stepped down returning to his native country England, announced he would step down ahead of the upcoming local rugby executive committee elections.
FLR elections will take place next month on a date yet to be announced. Selialia said his decision to step down from the highest rugby administrative post in the country was due to personal commitments. But Motšeremeli contends that from the current crop of rugby administrators “nobody is capable to lead the mother-body” should Selialia remain true to his earlier declaration that he will not contest to have another tour in office.”
“Yes, he (Selialia) says so and that’s his opinion, but as the federation’ secretary I have realized that no one can hold that position from the people we have,” said Motšeremeli in an interview with Public Eye on Tuesday. “I am telling you this now. No one among us can hold that position and perform like he did.”
Motšeremeli further said: “That’s my opinion as an individual, and maybe others are happy that he is going to step down. I am not.” FLR Secretary said at least Selialia should take another term in office for the development and benefit of rugby in the country.
“At least he should take two terms in office, not this single term he has taken. I can even go and talk to his wife about this. I have talked to him and he is still holding on to his decision to step down, but I will do everything I can to convince him to stay,” he continued.
Motšeremeli said apart from his opinion that Selialia is replaceable as FLR president, he is also one of the founding members of the federation.
“When we started rugby in the country Selialia was there, I was there and Khauhelo (Raphepheng) was there; Dan Alyward was also there…we were in the frontline,” he recalled.
“So I know what our dreams were when we started this federation, and as a result it will not be worth it if one of us will one day wake up saying he is stepping down after just one term in office.”
Motšeremeli said the Selialia-led administration has been in the process of applying for the federation’s World Rugby membership since 2014.
“As we speak, we have already applying for the World Rugby membership. We are in the process of that together with him, we have been working on this since 2014 and we have signed a lot of papers (concerning the application) together with him,” he added.
Motšeremeli said as a result, he anticipated a big problem if they were to have a new rugby boss.
He said: “So if a new president comes in, then I don’t see any development in Lesotho’s rugby going forward. We will never become World Rugby members and rugby will go down in the country.”
Selialia, who confirmed to this paper on Tuesday that he is not going to contest for the presidency post in the upcoming general elections, said he would prefer to be an ordinary member of the federation “because I still want to serve rugby.”