ACTUALITE |
03.03.2004
Crisis averted in Cameroon
A boycott of the Cameroon league has been averted.
Clubs based in the capital Yaoundé have now been permitted to use the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium for their home games.
The ground, which is the only modern facility in the city, had been closed down for six-month repairs last year, forcing Canon to play their 2003 Champions League games in Douala.
Yaoundé has four league teams - Canon, Tonnerre, Cintra and Renaissance, with the stadium also being the home of the national teams since 1972.
Two days to the start of this season, the ministry of youth and sport, which owns the ground, had instructed the Cameroon Football Federation, Fecafoot, not to schedule games there.
Consequently, the two opening league games due to be played at the stadium last Sunday did not take place.
The 18 first division clubs subsequently threatened to abandon the season if sports minister Bidoung Mpkatt did not reverse the decision to close the ground.
But the strike action was avoided, following a meeting between the clubs, Fecafoot and the minister on Tuesday.
It was agreed that two games will be played at the ground every week.
In cases where all four clubs are scheduled to play at the ground, Fecafoot will be forced to send two clubs to other venues.
"For now we are happy that the minister changed his decision to let clubs use the stadium," said Fecafoot secretary-general, Jean Rene Atangana.
"But we still have to look into the problem of scheduling two other games elsewhere."
The clubs also obtained a guarantee from the sports minister that they will be involved in the committee that administers the distribution of gate-takings at all grounds, in order to combat fraud.
|
|
Hits: 1 | Source:BBC | |
|
|
|
|
| |