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Journalism of Courage
FIFA is to intervene in Cameroon’s football federation (FECAFOOT) again in an attempt to end bickering among officials which has dragged on since 2015, soccer’s governing body said on Wednesday.
FIFA said it had set up a “normalisation committee” to run FECAFOOT’s daily affairs, draft new statutes and organise elections for a new executive committee by the end of February.
It said the decision followed “recent failed attempts by FIFA to reconcile the football stakeholders in Cameroon and overcome the current impasse”.
FIFA briefly suspended Cameroon in 2013 for government interference in FECAFOOT, then also set up a normalisation committee to run its affairs.
A hotly contested election in 2015 was subsequently annulled by the Cameroon National Sports and Olympic Committee’s arbitration chamber. That decision was then confirmed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Despite the off-field problems, Cameroon won the African Nations Cup earlier this year, beating Egypt 2-1 in the final.
However, they face a tough task in their World Cup qualifying group which also contains bitter rivals Nigeria, plus Zambia and Algeria.
Nigeria have won their first two games while Cameroon have drawn their first two, allowing the Super Eagles to open up a four-point gap. Only the group winners qualify for Russia next year.
Cameroon will host the African Nations Cup in 2019.
