 | |
| Country/Region |  Lesotho |
|---|---|
| Code | LES |
| Created | 1971 |
| Recognized | 1972 |
| Continental Association | ANOCA |
| Headquarters | Maseru |
| President | Ms Matlohang Moiloa-Ramoqopo |
| Secretary General | Mr Morake Raleaka |
| Website | lnoc |
The Lesotho National Olympic Committee (IOC code: LES) is the National Olympic Committee representing Lesotho. It was created in 1971 and officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee in 1972. [1]
Lesotho, formally the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. As an enclave of South Africa, with which it shares a 1,106 km (687 mi) border, it is the only sovereign enclave in the world outside of the Italian Peninsula. It is situated in the Maloti Mountains and contains the highest peak in Southern Africa. It has an area of over 30,000 km2 (11,600 sq mi) and has a population of about two million. It is the largest enclaved country in the world. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. The country is also known by the nickname The Mountain Kingdom.
Lesotho sent a delegation to compete in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany from 26 August to 11 September 1972. This was the African country's first time participating at the Olympic Games. Lesotho's delegation consisted of a single sprinter, Motsapi Moorosi. He competed in two events, being eliminated in the first round of the 100 meters, and advancing to the quarter-finals of the 200 meters.
Lesotho competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
Lesotho first participated at the Olympic Games in 1972 and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except when they boycotted the 1976 Summer Olympics along with most other African nations. Lesotho has never participated in the Winter Olympic Games.
Lesotho made its Paralympic Games début at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney. It has competed in every edition of the Summer Paralympics since then, but never in the Winter Paralympics. Lesotho has never won a medal at the Paralympic Games.
Ramotshere Moiloa Municipality, formerly Zeerust Municipality, is a local municipality within the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, in the North West province of South Africa. The seat of the municipality is Zeerust.
Lesotho competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, which was held from 27 July to 12 August 2012. The country's participation at London marked its tenth appearance in the Summer Olympics since its début at the 1972 Summer Olympics. The delegation included three track and field athletes; Tsepo Ramonene, Mosito Lehata and Mamorallo Tjoka, and one swimmer; Masempe Theko. Ramonene and Lehata qualified for the Games by meeting qualification standards, while Tjoka and Theko made the Olympics through wildcard places. Tjoka was selected as the flag bearer for the opening ceremony while Lehata held it at the closing ceremony. Ramonene finished last in the men's marathon and was revived by medical personnel during the event. Lehata did not progress to the semi-finals of the men's 200 metres and Tjoka finished in 90th in the women's marathon. Theko finished 73rd overall in the women's 50 metre freestyle and did not progress to the semi-finals of the event.
Dinokana is a town in Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality in the North West province of South Africa.
Lesotho competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. This was the nation's eleventh appearance at the Summer Olympics, except the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, because of its partial support to the African boycott.
Lesotho sent a delegation to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 to 18 September 2016. This was the fifth time the country competed in the Summer Paralympic Games after it made its debut sixteen years prior at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics. The delegation to Rio de Janeiro consisted of two athletes: sprinter Sello Mothebe and discus thrower Litsitso Khotele. Mothebe originally came third in the heats of the men's 200 metres T12 and the men's 400 metres T12 events but he was retroactively disqualified for testing positive for a banned substance. Khotele ranked tenth in the women's discus throw F43–44 competition with a throw of 19.91 metres.
'Mamphono Khaketla is a Lesotho mathematician and senator who served as Minister of Finance from March 2015 to June 2017.
The 134th IOC Session was the IOC Session which was held in Lausanne, Switzerland on 24 June 2019.
Nthomeng Justina Majara is a Mosotho jurist and politician serving as Deputy Prime Minister of Lesotho since 2022. A member of Revolution for Prosperity, she previously served as Chief Justice of Lesotho from 2014 to 2018, being the first woman to be appointed to either office.
Lesotho competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the Games have been postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the nation's twelfth appearance at the Summer Olympics, with the exception of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, because of its partial support to the African boycott. Lesotho was the third to last nation to enter before the Lebanon, USA, and France.
Mannete Ramaili is a diplomat and politician from the Kingdom of Lesotho.
Boitumelo Theodora Moiloa is a South African politician from the North West who served as the MEC for Social Development from May 2019 until May 2024. She was sworn in as a Member of the North West Provincial Legislature in August 2013. Moiloa is a member of both the African National Congress and the South African Communist Party.
Sports form a part of the culture of Lesotho. Football is the most popular sport in the country.
Lesotho competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan, from 24 August to 5 September 2021.
Lesotho competed at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England from 28 July to 8 August 2022. This was Lesotho's 12th appearance at the Commonwealth Games.
Matlohang Moiloa-Ramoqopo is an International Olympic Committee member from Lesotho. She was a table-tennis player before she took an interest in sports administration. She was the first woman to lead a national olympic committee when she was first elected in 2009.
Sports governing bodies in Lesotho (LES) | ||
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| Summer Olympic Sports |
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| Winter Olympic Sports |
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| Other IOC Recognised Sports |
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| Paralympics and Disabled Sports | ||
| Others Sports |
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| Zone 1 - North Zone | |
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| Zone 2 - West Zone A | |
| Zone 3 - West Zone B | |
| Zone 4 - Central Zone | |
| Zone 5 - Central-East Zone | |
| Zone 6 - Southern Zone A | |
| Zone 7 - Southern Zone B | |
| International | |
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| National | |
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