Africa Cup of Nations: La Republique’s bonus cancer returns with a vengeance 1

A tug-of-war has erupted within the indomitable lions of Cameroun over claims on bonuses related to the participation of the national team in the Total sponsored Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon 2017. The team’s press officer announced that the payments of the bonuses to the players were made on Thursday, after more than 24 hours of negotiations.

Our informant inside the Cameroonian FA aka FECAFOOT revealed that tension is mounting among the players over what she described as a discriminatory payment of premiums and the levying of taxes on the money. Vincent de Paul Atangana blatantly refused to comment on the matter after he earlier announced that the players had been paid.

Football in La Repubique du Cameroun is linked to the politics of the country and it is one of the tools used in guaranteeing Paul Biya’s continued stay in power. The Minister for Sports addressed the team late yesterday on the bonus matter.  The lions are demanding the payment of their qualification premiums and the participation fee for the AFCON Gabon 2017.  The team faces Senegal in the quarterfinals today.

By Akwo James