Innocent Mbunwe & Leocadia Bongben
29 September 2008
Police officers, reportedly acting on the instructions of Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Augustin Edjoa, invaded Bano Palace Hotel in Douala and disrupted a meeting by MTN Elite I club Presidents, Sunday, September 28.
The meeting, The Post learnt, was to discuss the controversial decision by the Sports Minister suspending indefinitely the kick-off of the Elite I championship that was scheduled for Saturday, September 27.
Against heightened expectations by football lovers and preparations by the Cameroon Football Association, FECAFOOT, Edjoa signed a release on the eve of the kick-off suspending the championship.
The Minister's prohibition is as a result of the inability of the Civil Cabinet at the Presidency of the Republic, the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education and the Cameroon Football Federation, FECAFOOT, to agree on a date for the commencement of the football season.
Despite a seeming accord by the Minister to kick start the Championship ahead of the official closing of the 2007/2008 sports season, Edjoa humiliated FECAFOOT, MTN Elite I clubs and fans with a press release suspending the championship on the eve of the take off.
The suspension communiqué took press men and women, FECAFOOT officials and fans aback.The communiqué urged FECAFOOT President, Iya Mohammed, to postpone the championship because the season has not been officially closed. It states further that, FECAFOOT's attempt to commence a new season is mired in irregularity on the "normative and political" counts.
On the normative claim, Edjoa states that certain norms governing the organisation and practice of sports have not been respected. He maintained that the Ministry was not informed of the modalities governing the organisation of MTN Elite I, 2008/2009 season.
He continued that FECAFOOT has not respected Article 3; Section 1 of the text which stipulates that the football season starts before March ending, and ends latest December of the same year.
Following this argument, he says the season has not ended. In addition, he argues that the reaction of FECAFOOT in the Bamboutous affair is still pending and that the problem surrounding the ceding of broadcast rights to a foreign television channel, Gateway Broadcasting Services, GTV, has not been settled.
Politically, the Minister intimated that the sports season in Cameroon ends with an official ceremony presided over by the Head of State, "number one sports person". The argument follows that if the championship kicked off on September 27, this would be considered an act of irreverence against the number one sports personality.
Edjoa states that he does not perceive any urgency in starting the championship before the official closure of the season. Consequently, the championship could not kick off as planned by FECAFOOT, and administrative officials in the country have been notified, the Minister concluded.
FECAFOOT officials, in reaction to the Minister's ban, have argued that the Minister was duly notified and provided documentary evidence which they copied the press, staring the project proposal of the MTN Elite I season which they submitted to the ministry.
According to the communiqué of the Executive Committee, which a copy was sent to the ministry, September 13 was chosen as kick- off date of the Championship.Another letter dated September 2, stating the decision of an emergency committee postponing the championship to September 27 by FECAFOOT for non conformity of clubs, was also sent to the ministry.
The ministry replied, asking the federation to ensure that measures are taken for the championship to start in serenity and in line with the regulations of MTN Elite I games.
However, the federation indicated that the Minister is disassociating himself from the reply signed by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education, David H'nnack Tonye.
The federation demonstrated that it has respected its texts by following Article 3, Section 2 stipulating that the Executive Committee could take initiative to modify and take measures in the interest of football.
They argued that the start of the season ahead of the official closing ceremony is not disrespect for the Head of State.It stated further that, dates were proposed to the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency for the start of the championship on the instruction of the minister.
Ban Is Violation Of CAF, FIFA Rules
The ban of the championship, the federation argues is flagrant violation of the Cameroonian legislation, CAF and FIFA status, rules and directives. Concerning the ceding of broadcast rights to Gateway Broadcasting Services, GTV, the federation said it is covered by FIFA regulations concerning media rights in Article 72, which gives the federation the latitude to whoever they so choose.
On the Bamboutous affair, the federation says in Article 62 of FIFA regulations, it is forbidden to take football cases to common law courts and that the competent department of the federation has the power to settle such problems.
The federation, in a press conference, explained that the season has to conform to continental and international competitions. This, they argued, would enable the clubs to have time to prepare adequately and in line with FIFA innovations and reforms geared at professionalising football.
Reacting to the Minister's decision, former Indomitable Lions keeper, Joseph Antoine Bell, chastised the federation for acting without the regard of the Nation. Bell claims that the season is still going on in the Sanaga Maritime and reiterated the need for the federation to be redirected.
"FECAFOOT officials should seek dialogue with the presidency for a fixed date for the Cup of Cameroon finals in a way that would not disturb the calendar of competitions. The nation should also take care because FIFA could intervene and suspension of Cameroon is not ruled out," Bell advised.
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