Gruelling road trip for Lesotho

MASERU – The bus carrying the Lesotho team to the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Youth Games left for Malawi yesterday. The athletes will travel over 2 300 kilometres and spend over 35 hours on the road.

The opening ceremony of the games is tomorrow, so Lesotho would either still be on the road or would have just arrived in Malawi when the games are launched.

The games begin on Saturday, though other sporting codes have already begun.

The team left the country in the early hours of Wednesday after the new Minister of Sport, Pitso Lesaoana, informed the athletes around 9pm on Tuesday that they would be transported by bus but provided no information about their allowances.

The decision was a U-turn from what Lesaoana said on Monday when he met with the athletes and informed them that they would no longer be travelling because the government did not have money.

The players pleaded with the minister, and in desperation, they suggested taking a bus to Malawi.

One athlete, who spoke to thepost on condition of anonymity, said that when they suggested taking a bus, the athletes had not considered the distance between the two countries.

The athlete said they were desperate because they felt their dream was being snatched away from them after weeks of preparation.

Some athletes, according to the player, had accepted their disappointment and were on their way home, but they were summoned back when the minister accepted the suggestion to think about his decision to omit Lesotho from the AUSC games.

When asked why they had suggested such a tortuous route and not just drop out, one athlete said it was their first time travelling to compete outside of the country and they couldn’t give up because it was their dream to take part in the regional showpiece which is for Under-20 athletes and is held every two years.

“Some of us are 19 (years-old) this year, next edition we will not be eligible to participate so we just wanted to go there, we even suggested that we will give up our allowances if that’s what it takes,” the athlete said.

“We didn’t think about the distance when we suggested a bus, our priority was to get there and compete. It’s disappointing, but if we leave today (Tuesday) I think we will get there and compete,” the player said.

The athlete said they had been in the dark about what was going to happen, and that they had no idea about the trip until late Wednesday night.

Matsepe Maqalika, a ministry spokesperson, confirmed the team had taken a bus to Malawi but refused to comment on whether they would be paid.

The athletes will most likely never receive their money.

They are likely to be tired from the long journey, and some will have foot and body aches. It would be a miracle if Lesotho returns with a medal.

Tlalane Phahla