CHAN: Sports Minister blames FECAFOOT, LFPC for Lions’ poor performance

Cameroon’s Minister of Sports and Physical Education is pointing accusing fingers at the country’s Football Federation, FECAFOOT and the Local Football Professional League, LFPC for the poor performance put up by the Intermediate Lions at the African Nations Championship, CHAN.

Speaking on state radio Monday, February 8th, 2021, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi said, “The Intermediate Lions team was put in place urgently with players picked from their homes in a context wherein the local football championship has been stopped for several months. The conflicts and fight between FECAFOOT and LFPC to the detriment of general interest is affecting the nation.”

Categorically shifting the blames on the two football managing structures in Cameroon, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi adds, “…despite efforts by the government to solve the problem and instill peace, it failed. This explains why there was no avenue to detect good players to play the championship and equally enough time to prepare.”

However, the minister failed to roll out new stringent measures that his ministry will put in place to ensure that the local football professional championships resume in Cameroon.

It should be recalled that a release from the presidency earlier this month instructed the minister of sports to ensure the start of the football championship in Cameroon within the shortest time possible.

Seidou Mbombo Njoya, the president of FECAFOOT and General Pierre Semengue, the president of LFPC have been in a tussle of leadership on which of the structures has the right to run the local championships.

Cameroon’s Intermediate Lions made history during CHAN’s 6th edition by reaching the semi-final stage of the African Football Championship in 2021. A stage in the competition they have not attained in past editions.

As concerns the organization of the championship, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi gave a pass mark. He mentioned the country’s football infrastructure that meets international standards.


Mbatho Ntan