2025 AFCON: FECAFOOT, stoop to gov't now or never!.

On the one side of the battle is FECAFOOT President, Samuel Eto'o Fils, representing the country’s FA, while the Minister of Sports and Physical education, MINSEP, Prof Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, is standing in for the government.

The current apple of discord between the belligerents is the coach who will take the team to the 2025 AFCON, just two weeks after another battle over the holding of FECAFOOT Elective General Assembly.

Eto'o Fils got re-elected after all opponents had been surreptitiously eliminated. 

In the controversial victory, which exposed the void of cohesion in government, following the refusal of the Ministry of Territorial Administration, MINAT, to proscribe the assembly as requested by MINSEP, Eto'o Fils felt his appetite for power and vengeance reinforced.

With automatic alacrity, he replaced the Belgian coach, Marc Brys, whose contract remains valid till September, with David Pagou, an associate of his.

Shortly after his appointment by Eto'o Fils, who is noted for dictating to coaches, David Pagou 'published' his list of players selected for the 2025 AFCON, without some iconic players said to have been at variance with the management of the team by Eto'o Fils.

Coach Marc Brys also published his own list in which he included names like world class goalkeeper, Andre Onana, and team captain, Aboubakar Vincent, among others who were sidelined by Pagou.

In the cacophony, several media reports disclosed that "a group of players 'called' up by Coach David Pagou had directly contacted the Minister of Sports and Physical Education to express their refusal to participate at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations".

The players denounced the toxic atmosphere surrounding the national team, a direct consequence of the abrupt dismissal of several key players.

The dissenting players reportedly set a clear and non-negotiable condition: their participation at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will depend on the restoration of peace between FECAFOOT and the Ministry of Sports.

The demand reflects the depth of the rift within the institution. The shadow of the sidelined players looms over preparations. 

At the heart of the crisis, the exclusion of emblematic figures like Vincent Aboubakar and André Onana, not seen as incompetence but settling of personal scores by Eto'o Fils.

With Pagou, Eto'o Fils would control the coaching staff unlike Marc Brys, who makes the final selection and bans Eto'o from entering his locker room to dish out instructions as was the case with Song.

In a desperate bid to restore order and unity, whose deficit contributed to the elimination of the country from the World Cup next year, Minister Mouelle Kombi held a preparatory meeting on Wednesday, during which he claimed that "the State has taken care to prevent any cacophony, dissonance, or chaos".

He emphasised "the importance of maintaining calm within the team in camp. This requires everyone to demonstrate a spirit of cohesion, conviviality, cordiality, solidarity, and above all, a surge of civic and patriotic responsibility".

In his opening statement, he was unequivocal as who is coach: "We reiterate our congratulations to Marc Brys, the valiant Indomitable Lions trainer, and the entire technical staff".

FECAFOOT has stated in a press release that "we will now do without his [Brys’] services as coach of our valiant Indomitable Lions". 

But the ministry wants the contract of Brys to run to the end. Some players are threatening to hang up their boots if the contaminated atmosphere is not cleansed.

Will government give in to the FECAFOOT demands? Will the Cameroon Football Federation agree to reconsider its position on the excluded players and maintain the Belgian?

Before the minister's meeting, Eto'o Fils, in an interview with Yaounde-based Info TV, in which he claimed to have abrogated an agreement FECAFOOT had with MINSEP, which by law pays the national coach.

In his disproportionate self-assurance, Eto’o Fils said he had "withdrawn from the 2015 convention since August 20, 2024".

The accord which "organises and harmonises the management of national teams" is a technical instrument. 

To some critics, it an institutional fragmentation bomb: It places FECAFOOT, an autonomous association governed by FIFA's international standards, in a binding contractual relationship with a State ministry.

It is a hybrid, where the federation dependends on government to appoint, pay, and sometimes even influence sporting decisions with "Very High lnstructions".

In the lnfo TV interview, Eto'o Fils claimed his withdrawal from the accord was influenced by a FIFA directive, advising the federation to withdraw from it when the standoff over the employment of the Belgian started.

For the record, FIFA had asked FECAFOOT to "review" the agreement with the Sports Ministry, which has not been done. 

In law, one party cannot unilaterally terminate or withdraw from an agreement, without consequences, especially in this case when FECAFOOT has to turn to the government to pay a coach and even give subvention.

Even though Minister Mouelle Kombi is advocating calm in the Indomitable Lions' den, and insisting that "the State has taken care to prevent any cacophony from flourishing", the battle between FECAFOOT and the Sports Ministry still looms.

Can the players be united for victory under such a toxic atmosphere?  Since "he who pays the piper calls the tune", Eto'o Fils has to step down from his high horse to ensure serenity, harmony and patriotism, virtues that are sine qua non for Lions' scintillating performance in Morrocco.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3653 of Friday December 12, 2025