By Tata Mbunwe
Emmanuel Motombi Mbome, President of the Cameroon Athletics Federation, told journalists in Buea Wednesday, February 1, that no taxes will be deducted again from the prize money given to winners of Mount Cameroon Race of Hope.
Last year, the government deducted an 11 percent tax from the winners’ income. But this year, Motombi said, this 11 percent will rather be added to the athletes’ prize.
He also affirmed that that the money given to winners will increase next year. This is because Mount Cameroon Race of Hope now has a new official sponsor, Orange Cameroon.
The company has signed a two-year agreement with the Athletics Federation, replacing last year’s official sponsor, CAMTEL.
Presently, the first three winners of the Mount Cameroon Race receive 10 million, 7 million and 5 million francs CFA respectively.
When the race started in 1973, the first place winner received just 30,000 francs CFA.
Exceptional Race
This year’s race is the 28th edition, but it will mark 50 years since the race was launched in 1973.
At the press conference in Buea, organised 24 days to Cameroon’s biggest race, Motombi said about 600 athletes will run the Mount Cameroon Race this year.
He added that the event will be more exceptional than it has been in the past five years of the Anglophone Crisis.
Many foreign athletes will participate in the competition, many of them coming from Kenya.
“We actually came this time to make a difference because we are into a very new mandate, all federations had to do an overhauling and fortunately for us 1973-2023 is 50 years. I think all of us should put our hands on deck and have a wonderful event and with everyone concerned we should have activities for at least two weeks,” Motombi said.
He was accompanied at the press conference by the President of the local organising committee of the race, Andrew Eteki Njoh.
Eteki had earlier told journalists one of the problems they will tackle this year is age fraud especially in the junior category of the race.
The Mount Cameroon Race of Hope will be taking place this February 25 and will be officially launched a day earlier.
Mimi Mefo Info
