Hantsi rules out return

Luciah Phahla

Maseru

Former Lesotho Volleyball Association (LVA) president Tuoe Hantsi has ruled out a return to the association despite calls for his reinstatement from some members.

Hantsi led the LVA from 2008 to 2010 and has been urged to come back by members, clubs and players have who feel the association was on the right track under his leadership.

However, Hantsi, who works for the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) as its public relations officer and is also a member of the Kingdom Classics choral group, told thepost he will not return to volleyball administration.

“I would love to go back as the president of volleyball. I regularly receive calls from individuals who keep telling me they miss me. But, my job would not allow me,” Hantsi said on Monday.

He added: “Besides I am not trying to be a jack of all trades. I am a singer, I have Kingdom Classics. However, I can always avail my time and give advice as an ex-officio. In terms of going back, I do not see it happening unless there can be serious talks.”

LVA is heading for elections to choose a new committee in August and there have been talks within the association to bring Hantsi back.

In one sitting, some members wanted to terminate the term of the current administrators and Hantsi’s name popped up among possible candidates to take over, sources say.

Nevertheless, any plans to bring him back would likely be arrested by the LVA rule that says persons must be involved with a team participating in the national volleyball league to be elected.

Hantsi was chosen as LVA president in 2008 and served his two-year term before declining to run for a second tenure. The term length has since been increased to four years.

Hantsi said his success was because he delegated.

“I was not hands on, I was delegating. All I did was to ensure that if you were chosen for a certain position which you may not be suitable for, I would make sure there is an officer helping such a person,” he said.

Hantsi said the LVA office worked together. He said often the problem is people want to do too much.

“We delegated members to oversee the clubs. Normally what happens is that members want to do things themselves when they should actually be supervising,” he said.

“For example, the technical director, his job is to oversee and supervise coaches and umpires. There was no time I would expect to see him officiating matches. His job is to coordinate coaches and umpires during tournaments,” Hantsi continued.

Hantsi said development was fundamental during his term.

A large chunk of the subvention LVA received from the Lesotho Sport and Recreation Commission (LSRC) went towards helping teams prepare for the annual Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) Zone 6 Club Championship, he said.

In 2010, Red Skins won the Zone 6 Championship in Gaborone, Botswana and went on to compete at the African Volleyball Club Champions Championship.

No Lesotho team has won the Zone 6 tournament since.

“While I was there development was key, as well as preparedness. With the money we got from the sports ministry through LSRC, we would help at least one men’s team and one ladies team to prepare for the (Zone 6) club championships and at one of those championships I remember Red Skins won and they went to represent Lesotho at the African championships,” he said.

Asked what current administrators can do to take LVA forward, Hantsi said continuity is essential.

“Lucky enough most of the current administrators were in the committee when I was still the president. (The key is) taking things from where we left off and continuing with the good we did,” he concluded.