Fifa Brings Forward Talks Aimed At Settling Cameroon’s Internal Issues

Fifa has brought forward a reconciliation meeting for Cameroon football stakeholders to 10 July in Guinea, as football’s world body aims to settle internal problems within the Cameroon Federation (Fecafoot.)

Cameroon were banned from global football in July 2013 before the establishment of a Fifa-approved Normalisation Committee led by Joseph Owona.

Tombi A Roko Sidiki and his executive committee then assumed office after elections held in September 2015.

Despite Sidiki’s election receiving the approval of both Fifa and the Cameroon government, there have been several challenges to his administration.

Most recently, Cameroonian club Etoile Filante de Garoua argued that Fecafoot had no authority to send a team to the Confederations Cup in Russia, an argument Fifa dismissed.

However, Fifa has acknowledged there is a problem within the Cameroon football family and is taking measures to resolve the problem for good.

In March, the Association of Amateur Football Clubs in Cameroon were notified that Veron Mosengo-Omba, Fifa’s director of African and Caribbean Member Associations, would be discussing the issue with Fecafoot.

His visit was due to take place in August having been postponed from June, but in a letter to stakeholders dated 23 June 2017, Veron Mosongo-Omba confirmed the date has been brought forward to 10 July.

“It is important to stress that Fifa has the obligation to promote amicable relations within member associations” he wrote.

“Fifa considers its role to settle internal disputes capable of jeopardizing the interest of football in line with its statutory tasks and autonomy of member associations.”

Cameroon is set to host the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and internal squabbles – if not resolved – may see the prestigious competition withdrawn.

bbc.com