The Cameroon-Gabon match in the qualifiers for the African Nations Championship, intended for players playing on the continent, will not take place. Cameroon has forfeited the match to Gabon due to FIFA’s suspension of Cameroon for government interference in the elections at Fécafoot, the Cameroonian football federation.
Junior Binyam, the communications manager for Fécafoot, confirmed to AFP that the match would not take place because of Fécafoot’s suspension. The return match scheduled for July 17 is also at risk of facing the same fate, potentially resulting in another loss for Cameroon against Gabon.
FIFA and CAF have demanded the establishment of a standardization committee to manage Fécafoot, and the deadline for this organization is March 31. If no action is taken, Coton Sport de Garou, which was set to participate in the group stage of the Champions League, may no longer be eligible, as Cameroonian clubs and national selections are suspended from continental and world tournaments.
Furthermore, the Cameroon national team could potentially be absent from the last round of qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, which would benefit Libya. The situation underscores the broader consequences of administrative issues in football governance at the national level.
