Cameroon : FA President Samuel Eto’o and Sports Ministry at Daggers Drawn

By Boris Esono Nwenfor

BUEA, Cameroon – Eto'o is fighting for his rights. Eto'o is the messiah and saviour of Cameroon Football. MINSEP should not back down. All these are utterances that come out daily as the saga for the control of Cameroon’s National Team, the Indomitable Lions continues.

Almost two months of bad blood between the Ministry of Sports and that of FECAFOOT and a few weeks to a crucial FIFA 2016 World Cup Qualifier against Cape Verde and Angola, it begs the question, isn't it time for a ceasefire to be called by both parties? Isn't it time for the interest of the National Team to take centre stage as opposed to the interest of FECAFOOT and MINSEP?

The dire consequences are just so enormous should FIFA finally decide to way into the crisis between the two institutions. Should the ugly scenes continue, Cameroon risked being suspended by the World Football governing body FIFA which would mean the Indomitable Lions would not participate in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

At the centre of this dispute are conflicting interpretations of legal frameworks, government involvement, and the role of football federations in coaching appointments. FECAFOOT in their various communiqués have been citing the 2014 presidential decree which to them gives the organization the power to appoint a new coach. MINSEP on the other hand will cite the 2015 Convention signed between FECAFOOT and the body.

How did we get here?

On April 2, 2024, the Minister of Sports and Physical Education announced the approval of a new technical team for the Indomitable Lions, replacing Rigobert Song and his staff. This decision, however, caught the Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT), led by Samuel Eto'o, by surprise. FECAFOOT asserted that it was excluded from the pre-selection process of candidates and was not involved in the recruitment of personnel, citing Decree No. 2014/384, which entrusts the federation with the administrative, sports, and technical management of national football teams.

In response, Samuel Eto'o referenced the same decree, emphasizing FECAFOOT's authority in the recruitment process and expressing dissatisfaction with the appointments made outside the legal framework. Eto'o's stance reflects a commitment to upholding regulatory standards and ensuring transparency in football governance.

However, the Minister of Sports, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, defended the government's decision, stating that the recruitment process followed established protocols and was approved by the Head of State. Mouelle Kombi clarified that while the decree does not specifically address the recruitment of coaches, the MINSEP-FECAFOOT Convention provides the legal framework for such appointments, granting the government the authority to recruit and assign coaches to the national team.

Only one coaching staff exists

The Ministry of Sports and Physical Education, MINSEP, has been firm from the get-go; only one coaching staff exists and that is theirs. This was equally re-echoed on May 28 at the FECAFOOT Headquarters during a working session called by President Eto'o with Coach Marc Brys and the FECAFOOT-appointed staff.

Cyrille Tollo, a MINSEP Representative who was refused entry to the hall said: "We have a message to pass on and we do it here at FECAFOOT. There is only one staff that exists at the head of the Indomitable Lions, that of Marc Brys and his associates appointed by the Head of State. There is no other and there won’t be any.”

Following an executive committee meeting of FECAFOOT on Tuesday, May 28, Coach Marc Brys was suspended while Martin Mpile has been made interim coach of the national team, completely sidelining MINSEP in the process. Mpile will be assisted by David Pagou as they seek to prepare the Indomitable Lions for the encounter against the Blue Sharks.