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Africa

Cameroon football federation criticises ban

By AFP
Published | Updated
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The headquarters of the Cameroonian Football Association (FECAFOOT) in Yaounde. Cameroon's football federation (FECAFOOT) on Friday criticised the sport's world governing body FIFA, after it was provisionally suspended from all competitions over governance issues. (AFP/File)

YAOUNDE (AFP) – Cameroon's football federation (FECAFOOT) on Friday criticised the sport's world governing body FIFA, after it was provisionally suspended from all competitions over governance issues.

FECAFOOT spokesman Junior Binyam told AFP the suspension was "deplorable" and would damage the prospects of young footballers, including the best who wanted to play abroad.

"If a young Cameroon footballer is courted by a club such as Arsenal, he will not be able to go because the Cameroon federation will not be in a position to give him an international transfer certificate," he added.

Cameroon were due to play Gabon on Saturday in the qualifying round for the African Nations Championships (CHAN) but the match will not now go ahead because of the ban.

"If this suspension is not lifted by September, Cameroon will not be able to play in the World Cup qualifiers," added Binyam.

"We can only hope that the normalisation committee will start work without hindrance so the suspension can be lifted."

FIFA on Thursday said it had provisionally suspended FECAFOOT from international competition because of "government interference" in its running.

The decision came a week after the re-election of the outgoing president of the federation, Iya Mohammed, was declared void following his imprisonment for alleged misappropriation of funds.

FIFA said Cameroon, who are competing for a place in the World Cup finals in 2014, will not be able to play in any competition for the duration of the suspension.

The ban will be lifted only when the Cameroon authorities allow a special committee to run FECAFOOT and be able to run its affairs without hindrance.

The committee, whose members will be appointed by FIFA and the African Football Confederation (CAF), will notably work to revise FECAFOOT's statutes and organise new elections between now and March 31 next year.