MTN Elite Two: FECAFOOT slams ISOHSA heavy sanctions over controversial Apejes game trouble.

The ruling was signed by the homologation and disciplinary committee’s president, Nkengni Félix, vice president Ojong Eret Simon, rapporteur Massoussi Songo Robert and member Barrister Keyantio Augustin.

It said the sanction is for ISOHSA’s abandonment of match day three fixtures against Apejes of Mfou in the ongoing relegation playoffs series of the second-tier competition. 

ISOHSA players had walked out of the said game in Douala on Sunday, June 22, after the central referee that was officiating the game headbutted one of ISOHSA’s players, Arrey Jefter Oduak, in the course of an argument. 

ISOHSA said in a statement yesterday that the violent act “…followed a series of biased calls and insensitive remarks allegedly made by the referee regarding the club’s background and ethnic composition”.

The body ruled that “the club ISOHSA of Limbe loses the match by forfeit and loses three (03) points on its general classification.”

It added that it also “…holds that the club Apejes wins the said match by forfeit and scores 03 points, 03 goals for and 00 goals conceded”.

It condemned ISOHSA “…to pay FECAFOOT a fine of five hundred thousand francs CFA”. The body announced that the club has five days to appeal the ruling.

Costly controversial ruling

The ruling has raised more controversies about the said game. Observers have notably questioned why the federation is still to make an official declaration on the conduct of the central referee who was at the heart of the chaos in the match.

ISOHSA released a statement yesterday stating it has “formally reported the incident to the relevant authorities and expect a thorough investigation”.

It also announced that its player, Arrey Jefter Oduak, who was injured after the headbutting is responding to treatment. ISOHSA gained promotion to the second division championship in 2023. 

If the sanction is not overturned, it may orchestrate the club’s relegation to the regional league by the end of the campaign. 

Before the game against Apejes, ISOHSA had suffered defeats in both of its two matches in the ongoing relegation battle. The team went down with a 3-2 defeat to Fovu of Baham on day one before suffering a 2-0 loss to US Abong Mbang on day two.

Seven teams are competing in the ongoing MTN Elite Two relegation playoff. All three teams that will hold the final three positions on the standing at the end of the six-game series will drop to their respectively regional leagues. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3485 of Thursday June 26, 2025