FIFA has again come under attack for its political maneuvering in Africa, this time from a leading club president in Cameroon who criticises the world governing body and its president Gianni Infantino for manipulating the federation politics, manipulating and ignoring rulings made at CAS and preventing the meaningful development of the game in Africa.

Abdouraman Hamadou Babba, president of top flight club Etoile Filante de Garoua, in a letter to national associations and the FIFA Council titled ‘Denouncing the actions of FIFA President’, said: “In Africa in particular, the FIFA President, instead of working for FIFA, works for himself and for his re-election. All efforts made by FIFA staff in Africa are aimed primarily at establishing at the head of national associations persons who have pledged allegiance to Mr. Gianni Infantino, to ensure the vote of their respective federations during FIFA elections.”

It is an incendiary criticism and one that is frequently heard behind closed doors but such is FIFA iron grip on Africa, seldom heard publicly. Abdouraman Babba is one of a number of voices in football in Africa who has frequently held FIFA to account.

He says “the behavior of the President and GS (Fatma Samoura) of FIFA, in co-action with Mr. Veron Mosengo-Omba, henceforth GS of CAF, may be seen in several African countries, notably in Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Chad, Madagascaror more recently in Kenya, to name but a few.”

With African nations increasingly falling into public dispute with FIFA, the African powerbase that Infantino has built his leadership could be potentially crumbling ahead of Infantino’s potential re-election.

“This obsession of the FIFA President to want, at all costs, to guarantee his re- election by choosing by himself thepresidents of the African national associations, is the main reason for the state of underdevelopment in which Africanfootball is found,” said Abdouraman Babba.

On 15 January 2021, the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) annulled the Cameroon FA electoral process that had been “fraudulently” organised by the FIFA Normalisation Committee in 2017. That happened after the cancellation of another fraudulent electoral process organised in 2015 by another Normalisation Committee appointed by FIFA in 2013.

“Curiously” says Abdouraman Babba,  CAS suggested to FIFA to allow the Executive Committee whose election had been cancelled to remain in office to organise a new electoral process.  Infantino, who at that same time was visiting Cameroon, announced on national TV that FIFA will continue in office, on an interim basis, with the Executive Committee which had just had its election      annulled by CAS.

“This position of the FIFA President, which is contrary to the provisions of Article 19 of the FIFA Statutes, was confirmed on 16 January 2021 by a letter from the FIFA Secretary General, Mrs. Fatma Samoura,” says Abdouraman Babba.

In response to FIFA’s decision he says the “legitimate members of FECAFOOT’s General Assembly convened an extraordinary session to appoint a Provisional Executive Committee to manage the current affairs and to organize a new electoral process.

“Despite this appointment and despite the clear position of the Cameroonian Minister of Sports, Mrs. Fatma Samoura and Mr. Véron Mosengo-Omba did what      had hitherto never been seen – jointly signed a letter on a header carrying the  logos of FIFA and CAF.  This letter ordered the illegal Executive Committee to hold a general assembly session, composed of illegitimate members of FECAFOOT, to adopt false statutes for FECAFOOT and to proceed to organize on this basis a false electoral process.”

Abdouraman Babba goes further, accusing the CAS Registrar’s office of being complicit with FIFA in withholding decisions made at arbitration and “influence the fate of certain arbitral rulings and even modify them in certain cases, especially when the interests of the FIFA President are at stake”.

In his letter he calls for a rewriting of the FIFA statutes around the imposition of Normalisation Committees as well as reform of CAS  which he says is “only   an instrument of domination and colonization in the hands of the FIFA President.It is urgent, in collaboration with the IOC, to put an end to the networks of influence peddling, which have captured CAS and are seriously hindering the development of football in the world.”

Source: Inside World Football

Earlier this week, Samuel Eto’o, the controversial Cameroonian football legend with strong ties to the corrupt regime in Yaoundé declared that Ernest Obama will be responsible for the media coverage of his campaign to become president of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT).

Ernest Obama, former Director of Vision 4 Network and current general manager of BNews TV have a track record of being an anti Anglophone journalist and had called several times via Vision 4 for the complete destruction of Southern Cameroons.

The absurdity of this Samuel Eto’o appointment of Ernest Obama has shocked many Southern Cameroonians worldwide, but is perhaps most insulting to the English speaking Cameroonians who have supported Eto’o throughout his brilliant career as a footballer many of whom now have firsthand experience of the atrocities of the Biya Francophone radical Beti Ewondo regime in its five year-old war in Southern Cameroons.

The vast majority of Southern Cameroonians know all too well that the regime in Yaoundé not only has a deep-rooted hatred for English speaking Cameroonians, but has advanced an on-going genocidal campaign against Southern Cameroonians and with the support of French speaking journalists such as Ernest Obama promoted the military campaign that has claimed the lives of some 10,000 Cameroonians with army soldiers accounting for close to 35% of the deaths.  Shame on Samuel Eto’o and other Cameroon football heroes for turning a blind eye to the Biya regime’s deep-rooted anti Anglophone policies in order to advance their own financial interest.

The list of Ernest Obama’s  anti Anglophone actions  on Vision 4 TV are too voluminous, but perhaps his call for the total and complete annihilation of all Anglophones  gave Southern Cameroonians the signal that they were no longer welcome to live freely in the so-called one and indivisible Cameroon.

And indeed, Mr. Ernest Obama’s declarations caused a massive wave of Southern Cameroonians to flee their homeland to Nigeria and either leave their assets behind or sell them at bargain prices. The Biya Francophone regime in Yaoundé has still not stopped the killings of innocent English speaking Cameroonians. Cameroon government army soldiers deployed to Southern Cameroons continue to arrest and torture thousands of Anglophones and confiscating millions of FCFA in Southern Cameroons businesses and assets.

Moreover, Southern Cameroons minority population has fled the country during these five year-old-war to the point where most of Southern Cameroons settlements are now ghost towns and villages.

Apart from Ernest Obama, Eto’o has been mentored for years by Bell Joseph-Antoine, another legendary Cameroonian footballer with well-documented anti Anglophone sentiments which also raise urgent questions about Samuel Eto’o’s intention. During a friendly football encounter with Egypt, Bell demonstrated absolute disrespect for the late Tataw Eta Stephen who was the captain by rushing to the referee with a flag he had in his pocket and performing the kickoff ritual with the Egyptian captain. When Stephen Tataw finished with the group photo business and went to the referee, he was told Bell Joseph had already conducted the process. In USA 94, Bell again continued with his anti Anglophone policy and rallied all the players from his Bassa Francophone extraction to have a vote on who to captain the team.  

“Yaoundé should not be giving positions to people with anti Anglophone sentiments, end of story,” a senior official of the Biya regime who spoke to Cameroon Concord News at the time of writing this report said.

 “Under the leadership of the Biya regime, Yaoundé has repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to work with anti Anglophone cabinet ministers and political figures, and they appear willing to do so until the bitter end of the Biya presidency” a Southern Cameroonian living in Yaoundé told Camcordnews.

Eto’o reportedly met Mr. Samuel Mvondo Ayolo, Director of the Civil Cabinet at the Presidency of the Republic, another anti Anglophone CPDM baron.   So far, nothing has filtered out of the exchanges between the two French Cameroun personalities.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

Football legend Roger Milla told SNTV on Thursday that he’s certain January’s Africa Cup of Nations will be a success and that the ‘huge infrastructure’ put in place in his native Cameroon will be of significant benefit to the youth of Africa.

In a wide-ranging interview during a visit to the Dubai Sports Council (DSC), the 1990 World Cup star said that Cameroon has been ready to host the CAN since before the pandemic and although he recognised that there has been a relative decline in the strength of traditional African powerhouses such as Cameroon, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire and Egypt, he hopes CAF president Patrice Motsepe can turn the situation around.

Milla also aimed a few blows at European football administrators and their reluctance to recognse African players at award ceremonies.

“The West has never liked African players winning the Ballon d’Or,” he said. “George Weah deservedly won the Ballon d’Or and the power-men couldn’t do anything because in that year George was the best and everyone saw and was convinced that he was the best, now they don’t want African players to win.”

“In my opinion, what Mohamed Salah is doing now is wonderful and extraordinary, and what Sadio Mane is doing as well, they must be effective if we want football to develop, especially in Africa,” Milla added. “Those in charge of these football institutions must be honest and admit (their quality).”

Source: Africa News

Football fans were treated to a throwback to a bygone era at Expo 2020 with the visit of Cameroon legend Roger Milla to the country’s pavilion.

The former striker, named the best African footballer of the previous 50 years in 2007 by the Confederation of African Football, shot to worldwide fame at the age of 38 when he scored four goals for Cameroon at the 1990 Fifa World Cup in Italy, marking each one with his trademark celebratory dance at the corner flag.

Aged 42, Mr Milla came out of retirement to play in the 1994 World Cup in the USA and broke his own record for being the oldest goalscorer in a World Cup by netting against Russia.

Mr Milla, now a Roving Ambassador of Cameroon, visited his country’s pavilion in the Opportunity District, where he met officials from the pavilion and a number of fans.

In an interview with the media team at Expo, Mr Milla revealed that this 15-year-old son plays in Dubai and is enrolled with the Fursan Hispania Academy, which was founded by former Spain and Real Madrid star Michel Salgado.

“I hope that by the next year or two, he will be like his father and will be able to play for his country,” Mr Milla said.

Source: The National news

There is a real possibility that the 2021 African Cup of Nations could well be postponed or even cancelled due to problems in the host country of Cameroon, it is claimed.

The 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to take place from 9 January to 6 February 2022 after it was originally due to be played in June and July 2021 before the CAF announced that it would be postponed due to ‘unfavourable climatic conditions’ and then because of the effects of Covid-19.

The dates of the competition mean that Milan would be without the likes of Fode Ballo-Toure, Franck Kessie and Ismael Bennacer for a few games including some important fixtures in January.

However, journalist Eduardo Hagn is reporting that AFCON is at risk for 2022 as ‘there have been legal fights between the bodies responsible for making the tournament happen’. The main problem is that the President of FECAFOOT is in his role illegally and that is why ‘postponement or cancellation are a big possibility’.

Source: Sempremilan.com

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has expressed concerns about Cameroon’s readiness to host the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The tournament will begin on 9 January 2022, and according to the competition’s Organising Committee, certain areas need ‘urgent attention’ ahead of the kick-off.

CAF said in a statement: “The Executive Committee noted the report and the progress made so far. The EXCO emphasized the need to make follow-ups with the Local Organising Committee on the areas that still need some urgent attention ahead of the kick-off on 9 January 2022.

“On the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations and Covid19 situation and preparations for supporters, the Executive Committee raised some sanitary matters that will be part of on-going discussions between CAF and Cameroon government.”

Zimbabwe is among the twenty-four countries that will participate in the tournament.

Source: Soccer24 Zimbabwe

Cameroonian football authorities and Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Friday signed a framework agreement that authorizes the Central African nation to organize the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) next year.

The framework agreement secures host rights for Cameroon and also allows the country to use the working handbook of CAF to organize the football jamboree.

Cameroon’s minister of Sports and Physical Education Narcisse Mouelle Kombi and the interim president of Cameroon Football Federation Seidou Mbombo Njoya signed on behalf of Cameroon while CAF’s vice president Augustin Senghor inked the deal.

“It is an honor for me to sign this agreement. Cameroon will surely host a wonderful AFCON,” Njoya said after signing the agreement in the capital, Yaounde.

“Cameroon is ready in many aspects to host AFCON. We hope that they will hasten up to finish the remaining works,” Senghor said.

The biennial competition is scheduled to take place in Cameroon from January 9 to February 6 next year.

Source: Xinhuanet

Cameroon football legends began inspecting football infrastructure in the country on Sunday ahead of next year’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The delegation, including former strikers Roger Milla and Samuel Eto’o, visited Japoma Stadium in the commercial hub of Douala, which will host matches when the central African nation hosts the competition next year.

Secretary General of the Presidency and delegation leader Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh said the inspection visit was intended to showcase Cameroon’s readiness to stage the championship.

“We are proud of the infrastructure in our country – everything is modern and well done. Cameroon’s football infrastructure is quite ready to host AFCON,” said Eto’o, a four-time African Player of the Year, during a tour of the stadium.

The biennial football championship will run from January 9 to February 6 with the participation of 24 teams.

Source: Xinhuanet

The Indomitable Lions grabbed a comfortable home win while Patrice Beaumelle’s men outshone their hosts in Johannesburg

Bayern Munich striker Eric Choupo-Moting scored a brace as Cameroon defeated Mozambique 3-1 in a Fifa World Cup qualifying match on Friday.

Choupo-Moting found the target in each half of the encounter and Lyon star Karl Toko Ekambi brought his goalscoring form from Ligue 1 to the Indomitable Lions’ camp to seal their victory in the 63rd minute.

Following their 2-1 loss to the Ivory Coast in September, Cameroon bounced back in style with the Bayern Munich forward breaking the deadlock at Stade Omnisports in the 28th minute.

The goal separated both teams at the break and six minutes after the restart, Choupo-Moting made it 2-0 for the hosts.

The lead was later extended by Toko Ekambi, however, the Indomitable Lions goalkeeper Devis Epassy Mboka could not keep a clean sheet as Mozambique pulled a goal back through Sporting Lisbon midfielder Geny in the 80th minute.

With two minutes left on the clock, the visitors were reduced to 10 men as second-half substitute Danilo was given a straight red card.

The victory means Cameroon now have six points after three matches in Group D while Mozambique suffered their second straight loss, and they have picked up just a point so far.

In South Africa, Ivory Coast put in a commanding display to defeat hosts Malawi 3-0 in the other group fixture.

Max Gradel opened the scoring in the 35th minute followed by goals from PSV midfielder Ibrahim Sangare and Sassuolo’s Jeremie Boga extended their unbeaten streak in Group D.

The Elephants remain at the summit of the group with seven points from three outings while Malawi are third on the table with three points.

Patrice Beaumelle’s men will host Malawi for the return fixture on Monday while Mozambique are scheduled to face Cameroon in Morocco on the same day.

Source: Goal.com

Cameroon will allow up to 10,000 fans to attend World Cup qualifier between Cameroon and Mozambique, according to the Minister of Sports and Physical Education Narcisse Mouelle Kombi.

“The Confederation of African Football has exceptionally permitted 10,000 spectators (to watch the match). Tickets are available for sale,” Kombi said in a statement on Tuesday and stressed that COVID-19 guidelines instituted by CAF and FIFA must be respected in the stadium.

The game is scheduled to take place at Japoma Stadium in the economic hub of Douala on Friday, Oct. 8. The ground has a capacity of 50,000.

Cameroonian football has been played behind closed doors since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country last year.

The Central African nation is also getting set to host Africa’s biggest football event, Africa Cup of Nations from January 9 to February 6 next year.

Source: Xinhuanet