Families of the victims of the Stade d’Olembe tragedy that took place during the last Africa Cup of Nations in Yaounde, Cameroon, have been invited to Sunday’s final in Abidjan, according to Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe during an address to review the ongoing AFCON.

At least eight people were killed and 38 were injured, seven seriously, in a crush that took place at the stadium before a round of 16 match between hosts Cameroon and Comoros during the last edition of the biennial continental competition on Jan. 24 2022.

It was determined that a “massive and late influx of supporters … caused the crush,” according to a government report, with security forces opening a gate outside the stadium to ease the over-crowding, which subsequently led to the tragedy.

“Some of the [victims’] family members from Cameroon are invited [to the AFCON final],” Motsepe began, “and will be with us here in Cote d’Ivoire.

“We visited each of their houses, met with their families, and expressed our condolences.”

Motsepe expressed confidence before the tournament began that measures in place around stadiums across the Ivory Coast would prevent a repeat incident during the ongoing tournament.

“The day after the final in Cameroon, we were in Cote d’Ivoire already to prepare for this following AFCON,” he added. “We had to identify what our failures and weaknesses were, and what the things were in Cameroon we had to improve.

“I’m happy that there’s been specific improvement, but despite all the precautionary measures you can take, there will always be unforeseen events. When you’re better prepared, you have a much better propensity to deal with these consequences.”

With the Ivorian government investing around $1.5 billion in tournament infrastructure, there has been no repeat of supporter deaths at the continent’s premier football event to date.

However, it hasn’t been an entirely smooth competition, with injuries suffered by media professionals travelling in a shuttle bus between Yamoussoukro and Abidjan one notable example.

For Motsepe, broadcast consistency, ticket sales and transport between the tournament venues are three clear areas of improvement that provide learnings from this year’s competition for future editions to come.

“We could have sold 150,000 tickets for the opening match, but there were empty seats,” the South African billionaire recalled. “My sponsors want to see value, and we want them to put more money in for the continent’s football development.

“Empty seats are not good for African people, but people bought up many tickets and then sold them at extortionate prices. This is one area that needs to improve.

“The broadcast of the game between Senegal and the Gambia was partly interrupted, and we can’t have that — there must be zero tolerance for any interruption or interference with the broadcast.

“There was also an instance where there was a [road] accident and our advice wasn’t followed.”

Despite these problems, Motsepe expressed his broader confidence that the tournament had been an overwhelming success, and a valuable testament to the state of African football under his premiership.

“This AFCON has been excellent, the best AFCON in the history of the competition,” he concluded. “We’ve had more than 180 countries worldwide, close to two billion people watching the football in Africa, and we should feel proud as Africans that we can produce such an exceptional competition.

“The next one must be even better, and the next one even better.”

Source: ESPN

Samuel Eto’o tendered his resignation as president of the Cameroon Football Federation on Monday only to have it rejected by its executive committee.

Eto’o, who won the African player of the year a record four times, has been dogged by allegations of improper conduct, match-fixing and corruption.

The federation said its executive committee met in Cameroon’s capital, Yaoundé, on Monday to evaluate the national team’s performance at the Africa Cup of Nations, and that the meeting started with Eto’o offering to step down while inviting the other members “to do likewise in good faith.”

“At the end of discussions and subsequent deliberations, the members of the executive committee decided to maintain their current mandates and thus unanimously rejected the president’s resignation thereby renewing their confidence in him to continue with the same spirit of reconstruction and development of Cameroon football at all levels as envisaged in his plan adopted by the elective general assembly of Dec. 11, 2021,” the federation said in a statement, referring to the date Eto’o took over as president.

The federation made no mention in the statement of any other decisions taken or conclusions drawn. Cameroon coach Rigobert Song’s future was uncertain after a disappointing Africa Cup campaign.

Cameroon, the five-time champion, needed a win in its final group game to be sure of progressing to the group stage, scored late to achieve it, and was then eliminated by Nigeria after a lackluster performance in the round of 16.

Eto’o, who celebrated with the team after its dramatic win over Gambia in their final group game, has been dogged by corruption allegations in the last year.

Last week, sports website The Athletic reported that it had seen WhatsApp messages, emails, letters and audio recordings that allegedly support a wide-range of accusations, including “match-fixing, abuse of power, physical threats, inciting violence and spreading false information in Cameroon.” It said a file had been sent to FIFA’s ethics committee and that it is also being investigated by the Confederation of African Football.

CAF was already investigating what it said were “serious” allegations from “several Cameroonian football stakeholders” against Eto’o. It noted that the former Barcelona and Inter Milan star was “presumed to be innocent until an appropriate judicial body concludes otherwise.”

Questions were raised in Cameroon about Eto’o’s ambassadorial role with a sports betting company. At least one club complained to the Cameroonian federation about the deal, which could violate the institution’s codes.

Cameroonian soccer had plenty of problems in the past. Before Eto’o was elected president, the national league had been tainted by interference from the government, allegations of corruption and broken promises from soccer leaders.

Eto’o played at four World Cups for Cameroon between 1998 and 2014.

Source: AP

Former Cameroon international and football icon Samuel Eto’o, currently serving as the president of the Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT) has become the center of a controversial incident involving another legendary figure of the Indomitable Lions, Geremi Njitap.

The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast, already marred by controversies surrounding the Cameroonian team and their eventual elimination, witnessed a shocking event that has added fuel to the fire of existing unrest within the team.

According to Camfoot, Cameroonian squad’s journey in the tournament was beset with challenges both on and off the field.

Reports of discord and friction among team members, the coaching staff, and federation officials were rampant, leading to an atmosphere of uncertainty and tension.

Speculations about such issues began surfacing right after Cameroon’s opening match against Guinea.

However, these were initially dismissed as baseless rumors by the FECAFOOT secretary-general, who labeled them “fake news.”

The situation, however, took a dramatic turn during Cameroon’s final group game against The Gambia.

Following the team’s narrow 3-2 victory, which secured their spot in the round of 16, a series of events in the dressing room revealed the depth of the problems plaguing Cameroon’s football governance.

As various delegates took turns congratulating the players, it was Geremi Njitap’s turn, a former star for Chelsea and Real Madrid, that ignited the controversy.

Geremi’s attempt to address the team was abruptly halted when members of Eto’o’s security personnel intervened.

Geremi’s response to the security was defiant: “Go and tell the one who sent you to come and carry out his instructions himself. What is he afraid of?” This confrontation highlighted the growing rift between two of Cameroon’s most celebrated football figures.

The situation escalated when Etienne Tamo, the head of Eto’o’s security, reportedly issued a stark warning to Geremi: “I received firm instructions from the president of FECAFOOT. Geremi must not enter the locker room. If you take one more step, I will box [punch] you.”

This incident left players and onlookers in utter disbelief, exposing the extent of the internal discord.

The roots of this clash can be traced back to the differing roles and perspectives of Eto’o and Geremi in Cameroonian football.

Despite both players having made over 100 appearances for their country, their relationship soured due to Geremi’s outspoken criticism of Eto’o’s tenure as FECAFOOT president.

Source: Pulse Sports

Cameroon’s football legend Samuel Eto’o has been accused of making threats and match-fixing, with the Barcelona legend’s file sent for investigation to the FIFA Ethics Committee.

Former Barça striker and current President of the Cameroonian Football Federation, has been accused of match-fixing and paying someone to make threats.

According to a report by The Athletic, Samuel Eto’o is facing serious allegations outlined in a file sent to FIFA’s Ethics Committee. The current president of the Cameroonian Football Federation is accused of match-fixing, spreading false information, making threats, inciting violence, and ‘abuse of power.’

Source: India Today

Cameroon Coach Rigobert Song has attributed his team’s defeat to Super Eagles to the inexperience of his players.

The Indomitable Lions suffered a 2-0 loss to Super Eagles in the round of 16 Africa Cup of Nations clash on Saturday at the Stade , with Ademola Lookman scoring both goals.

Speaking after the game, Song added that he is building a next generation of stars for the Indomitable Lions, stressing that they would be ready in two years.

“We faced a Nigerian team that was well organized. At a time, we were in the game but later it became difficult for us. My players lacked experience to play against Nigeria. We played with young players and my players are not capable to play to some certain level. I’m rebuilding and it takes lots of time to rebuild a team. I think by two or three years they would be better,” Song said

“My players played with fear. When you face a team like Nigeria, it can disturb you. We tried our best but our best was not enough. Let us acknowledged that they have done their best but they lack experience to face a team like Nigeria.”

The former Cameroon captain said he will learn from his side’s defeat to Nigeria.

“This is a game that you learn every day. When you are a player and manager, it is a very different thing. I’m still learning and I am open to criticism but constructing criticism.”

Source: The Nation

Cameroon’s biggest star, Andre Onana, is already becoming a distraction to the Indomitable Lions less than one week into the Cote 20243 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Manchester United goalkeeper opted to stay and play with the Red Devils against Tottenham at the weekend instead of joining Rigobert Song’s team as was the case with other members of the squad ahead of their opening game against Guinea. And then there was the anxiety caused by news of the issues his chartered plane had with Ivoirian authorities, which kept everybody, including Cameroon team officials, scampering for a positive resolution of matters.

After that, Onana got angry with Cameroonian officials when he realised that he would not be used in the game against Guinea. He had to be restrained by Senegal legend, El Hadji Diouf, when he became agitated with Song for keeping him out of the team. He was supposedly heard shouting: “If I wasn’t going to play or make the team, then why did I come here on a private jet?”

According to reports, poor weather conditions meant he was unable to land in Yamoussoukro – where Cameroon were playing on Monday – and had to divert to Abidjan.

Onana was then forced to drive the final 150 miles and eventually arrived three hours before kickoff and knew that he wouldn’t be starting the game but was shocked to see that Devis Epassy and Simon Ngapandouetnbu had been named ahead of him on the bench.

Song has had a fractured relationship with Onana in the past and the 27-year-old only returned to the international scene towards the end of last year after he retired in response to being sent home from the World Cup early.

Song meanwhile played down the significance of Onana’s absence, saying: “‘It’s logical, he arrived at 4 o’clock in the morning. How do you want him to play?”Their opening game saw them held to a 1-1 draw against Guinea.

Source: The Guardian.ng

After a grueling effort to reach the Africa Cup of Nations on time, Manchester United goalkeeper André Onana failed to make the Cameroon squad for the five-time champions’ opening game.

Onana was omitted from Coach Rigobert Song’s squad for the 1-1 draw against Guinea on Monday, despite the player’s rush from England to reach the Charles Konan Banny Stadium in Yamoussoukro on time.

“It’s logical. He arrived at 4 o’clock in the morning. How do you want him to play?” Song said after the game. The coach added: “He’s part of the group.”

Onana had played for United on Sunday, in a 2-2 draw with visiting Tottenham in the Premier League, then flew to Abidjan in Ivory Coast. From there the player had reported difficulties getting another flight to Yamoussoukro, forcing him to make the journey by road instead.

Such a trip would normally take 2½ hours, but heavy traffic in Abidjan and traffic restrictions imposed by police for Africa Cup security measures mean most journeys during the tournament face delays.

Onana quit the national team after he was sent home from the 2022 World Cup following a dispute with Song, but returned after apparently winning back the coach’s favor.

Source: AP

Cameroon’s head coach, Rigobert Song, expressed optimism on Sunday, hoping that the Indomitable Lions would create history once again, just as they did in 1984 when they clinched their maiden Nations Cup title in Cote d’Ivoire.

Cameroon will kick off their Nations Cup campaign on Monday, facing Guinea in the Group C opener, which also features Gambia and Senegal.

“There is a historical connection between Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire,” Song told the pre-match news conference on Sunday.

“We were heroes in 1984, and I believe we should honor that history.”

“We are like a family. We won our first title here, and that’s why we visited the grave of the first president of Cote d’Ivoire upon our arrival.”

“Our aim is to progress far in the competition, and why not recreate history by achieving what we did in 1984? We didn’t come here just to participate.”

Regarding the match against Guinea, Song emphasized the significance of the opening games and acknowledged that his team faces a tough opponent.

“The initial matches in such competitions hold great importance,” he added.

“We will be prepared. All participating teams have specific goals.”

“Guinea is a formidable team, and we are well aware of who we will be facing. We will give our all.”

The Cameroon boss expressed his disappointment over the absence of striker Vincent Aboubakar, but assured that all other players are ready for the game.

“Aboubakar’s absence is a loss because he is a leader and has demonstrated his abilities over the years. However, the remaining players are prepared,” he concluded.

Source: ahram online

The 2024 Africa Cup of Nations is being staged in the west African country of Ivory Coast, and no team has been more successful in the region than Cameroon.

They won the first of five titles in 1984 when Ivory Coast previously hosted the biennial African football showpiece.

Among the winning team was forward Roger Milla, who went on to achieve fame at the 1990 World Cup when the Indomitable Lions became the first quarter-finalists from Africa.

Further Cup of Nations triumphs for the central African country in the west of the continent came in Nigeria in 2000 and in Mali two years later.

No other country has won the tournament three times in west Africa — Egypt and Ghana succeeded twice each and Nigeria and Ivory Coast once each.

The other Cameroonian successes were in Morocco in 1988, and in the neighbouring central African nation of Gabon seven years ago.

With Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana, Napoli midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Besiktas forward Vincent Aboubakar in the squad, Cameroon are among the 2024 title favourites.

Aboubakar was the leading scorer at the 2022 finals in his homeland. He bagged eight goals, one less than record-holder Ndaye Mulamba netted for the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1974.

Staging a Cup of Nations is no guarantee that a country from the host region will emerge victorious.

North Africa has fared best with six victories from 11 tournaments followed by west Africa (4/9), central and east Africa (2/5 each) and southern Africa (1/3).

The 2024 edition kicks off on Saturday with a Group A clash between two-time champions Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau, whose three previous appearances failed to deliver a single victory.

On Sunday, Nigeria tackle Equatorial Guinea in the other Group A fixture, then record seven-time champions Egypt face Mozambique and Ghana meet Cape Verde in Group B.

Source: AFP