PM mediates Cameroon football impasse ahead of AFCON qualifier
►► An impasse in Cameroon’s national men’s football team has been overcome following mediation efforts by the country’s Prime Minister, Joseph Dion Ngute, state media Crtv said on Wednesday.
The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon will host Namibia on Saturday in its opener of Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier but their training camp has been marred by a wrangle between Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) and the country’s Ministry of Sports and Physical Education over the venue of the training camp and stadium where the match will take place.
« FECAFOOT wants the match to be played in the town of Garoua while the ministry wants the match to be played in the capital Yaounde. The players were divided and confused. Instead of training, they are attending crisis meetings, » said football analyst, Jean Claude Wakam.
Ngute met with the players and government officials on Wednesday and stated that the match « will be played wherever CAF (Confederation of African Football) decides and where the stadium is and in good shape », Crtv reported. Some football officials confirmed to Xinhua that, the team has now agreed to play the game in Garoua after the mediation efforts.
Crisis erupted in Cameroon football since April after the country’s Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi announced the appointment of 61-year-old Marc Brys as head coach.
FECAFOOT said it did not agree with the appointment because it « was not involved in the procedure leading to the appointment ». Both bodies have since tussled over who is in charge of the Indomitable Lions. Cameroon will play Namibia on Saturday and face Zimbabwe three days later in Kampala. The country is placed in Group J of the qualifiers, along with Namibia, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. The 35th edition of AFCON will take place in Morocco next year.
by Xinhua
