Governing Bodies
Blow by blow exchange that thwarted meeting of Eto’o and Marc Brys
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Disagreement between the ministry of sports in Cameroon and the leadership of the football federation of Cameroon (FECAFOOT) may have been the cause of the impasse currently going on in that country.
As the clock ticks down to Cameroon’s World Cup qualifying matches with Cape Verde and Angola, the team currently parade two head coaches.
On one hand is Belgium’s Marc Brys who is appointed by the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education. His appointment does not go down well with FECAFOOT led by Samuel Eto’o Fils.
On the other hand is Martin Ndtoungou who on Tuesday was named the new coach by Eto’o. In a press statement, FECAFOOT chronicled what were seen as infractions on the part of Brys.
First was his refusal to attend an earlier meeting slated for 10 May and initiated by the Secretary General of FECAFOOT.
Another offence was the Belgian release of players’ list for upcoming matches and holding a press conference in violation of FECAFOOT procedures. He was also accused of not communicating training schedules and taking isolated work initiatives as well as disclosing information of players to third parties and media without FECAFOOT’s approval.
Eto’o also accused the Belgian of not communicating the final list of players within the allocated time.
Press statement issue by FECAFOOT
Those appear the remote causes of the crisis which peaked following a botched meeting of the Belgian and the FECAFOOT officials on Tuesday.
A technical adviser to the Cameroon Ministry of Sports and Physical Education, Cyrille Tollo who demanded for the agenda of the meeting was fired out on the orders of Eto’o.
He was suspected to be carrying out instructions from the sports minister. When Tollo was asked to leave the meeting, the Belgian coach opted to also leave.
There and then the hot exchanges ensued.
Samuel Eto’o: “Please stay so we can work. If you leave, you won’t come back.”
Marc Brys: “Why are you talking like that!?”
Samuel Eto’o: “I am president here.”
Marc Brys: “I’m a coach here.”
Samuel Eto’o: “You are a coach because I appointed you. I ask you to stay in this meeting. Because if you do not stay, I am obliged to question my Executive Committee.”
Marc Brys: “It’s me who decides.”
Samuel Eto’o: “You don’t decide. What you do, I take responsibility. In your country, you can’t do that. And you don’t talk to me like that. As a footballer, you can’t never talk to me. Stay, we’re working. Which country do you think I can do this in?
Marc Brys: “No!”
Samuel Eto’o: “How can you do that in Cameroon? I was a coach.”
Marc Brys: “For 3 weeks.”
Samuel Eto’o: “I was a very great player.”
Marc Brys: “I’m leaving.”
Samuel Eto’o: “If you leave, don’t come back.”
A source in Cameroon informed Sports Village Square that Eto’o may have shut himself in the hips as he is seen to be heading into confrontation with the government.
It is gathered that that the minister in charge of internal affairs has instructed council heads not to permit any meeting of FECAFOOT.
It is further gathered that the government was in the process of auditing the FECAFOOT accounts owing to fund disbursed but not accounted for.
It is gathered that prior to Qatar 2022 World Cup, FECAFOOT collected 2.5 billion cfa which is about $4,142,675. The money which was to be refunded at the end of December 2022 has not been repaid.
By Kunle Solaja.
Nigeria is set to host the 48th Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), marking the third time the country will stage the continent’s top football gathering.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on the sidelines of the ongoing Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, approved Nigeria’s proposal to host the event.
The approval followed a meeting between President Tinubu and CAF President Patrice Motsepe, attended by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, former NFF President and Special Adviser to the CAF President Amaju Melvin Pinnick, as well as CAF Acting General Secretary Samson Adamu.
Sports Villages Square affirms that Nigeria previously hosted the CAF Congress at the National Theatre in Lagos in March 1980 and again in February 2009, when the late CAF President Issa Hayatou secured another four-year term in office.
In addition to this year’s 48th Ordinary General Assembly, scheduled for October, Nigeria also secured the hosting rights of the CAF Awards ceremony. The annual awards gala, which celebrates Africa’s top football performers, has been staged in Morocco over the past three years.
Nigeria had earlier hosted the CAF Awards when telecom firm, Globacom, was the headline sponsor. This year’s event will be the seventh to be held in Nigeria after those of 2005, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014 and 2016.
The CAF Ordinary General Assembly traditionally attracts key football stakeholders from across the continent, including presidents of CAF’s 54 member associations, representatives of the six zonal unions and senior football administrators.
The CAF Awards ceremony is regarded as one of African football’s flagship events, honouring outstanding players, coaches, clubs and officials in a glamorous setting that showcases the continent’s football excellence.
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FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee has banned former Guyana Football Federation (GFF) General Secretary Ian Alves from all football-related activities for five years after finding he sexually harassed female staff members.
FIFA also fined Alves 20,000 Swiss francs ($22,000) after determining that he had breached provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics relating to the protection of physical and mental integrity, abuse of position and general duties.
“FIFA has a strict stance against all forms of abuse in football,” the organisation said on Monday.
The decision followed a review of written statements from the victims, documents provided by the GFF, submissions from Alves, and other evidence gathered during the investigation.
Alves stepped down from his position in 2024.
The ban came into force on Monday, when the terms of the decision were notified to Alves, and the full grounds for the ruling will be communicated within 60 days in accordance with the Code of Ethics, FIFA added.
The GFF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Alves could not immediately be reached for comment.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that he planned to seek re-election for a fourth term in a bid to continue to lead the governing body of world soccer.
Infantino confirmed he would run for the 2027–2031 term in the closing moments of the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, which comes less than two months before the start of the World Cup.
The election will be held on March 18 in Morocco, which is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup.
Infantino said he was “honoured and humbled” to have the chance to run for a fourth term.
The Italian-Swiss took office in 2016, replacing Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.
Infantino has pushed for the expansion of FIFA competitions during his tenure, with this year’s World Cup in North America the first to feature 48 teams, while the women’s tournament in 2023 has been expanded to 32 teams.
Infantino’s tenure has also drawn some criticism over issues such as high World Cup ticket prices and the decision to award the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump at the World Cup draw in December.
Earlier this month, the council of South American football’s governing body (CONMEBOL) said in a statement it would unanimously support the 56-year-old if he decided to seek another term.
-Reuters
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