Alleged match-fixing scandal rocks Cameroon football!.

Cases of money exchanging hands between some club presidents and match officials to favour their clubs during games have been brought to the fore.

One particular club which has been at the centre of this alleged match-fixing scandal is South West region-based club, Victoria United FC.

The club was promoted to the Elite Two championship last season but has been making headline news severally, but for the wrong season.

Despite being on the top position of the current League Two table, Victoria United have been accused of being at the centre of the malpractice of buying matches.

Player ‘fired’ for confessing to ill

The club recently announced that it had terminated the contract of one of its players as it faces growing accusation of match-fixing.

A statement issued by club president, Nkwain Valentine also known as Bobdidy announced the end of relationship between the Limbe-based club and goalkeeper Idris Youssouf.

According to the February 13 statement, Youssouf has been accused of not respecting the confidentiality clause of his contract.

“We Victoria United Football Club is officially dismissing Mr. Idris Youssouf, player with license No 023000M96 on this day Monday 13 February 16, 2023,” the statement read in part.

He further indicated that the player has been dismissed on grounds that “he violated article 5(6) of his professional contract which states that he should safeguard the reputation of the club and its members, and respect duty of confidentiality in abstaining from material and prejudicial statements aimed at the club”.

While a player of Victoria United, the club said Youssouf was still attached to his former employer, Unisport through their WhatsApp forum.

As a result of the continuous relations, the club claimed the goalkeeper transmitted “sensitive information” to their direct opponents.

“It is in this light that we are forwarding this letter through the federation to the litigation commission to call him for questioning so that he can provide prove of his allegation meted against the president and the team Victoria United football club for being involve in match fixing through the audio voice note he sent to the Unisport Haut Nkam player WhatsApp club forum,” the club further noted.

The clubs outing comes after Victoria United away game to the West region side at the Bafang Municipal stadium on Sunday February 12.

The highly contested game abruptly ended in the dying minutes after fans of the host team invaded the pitch and assaulted match officials.

While Unisport were leading by 1 nil, the referee and his assistant adjudged a late action within the host box as a foul on a visitors’ player, which led to angry fans storming the field.

Following the happenstance at the Bafang Municipal stadium, the Technical Professional Football Council, CTFP, charged with the running of the elite championships, later issued a statement suspending the pitch from further hosting games.

It should be recalled that, the turn of events at the Bafang stadium comes after fans had suspected the match officials of having fixed the match with management of Victoria United management.

A voice note which emerged after the incident, attributed to the now dismissed player of Victoria United, claimed the club president was ready to buy off officials to favour his side during games.

“If President Donald Ngameni (of Unisport) says he doesn’t bribe referees, it’s his problem. We (Victoria United) bribe referees and we shall qualify for the Elite One,” the voicemail attributed to the erstwhile Unisport goalkeeper, claimed.

“If Donald Ngameni doesn't give money to referees that is his problem. We give monies to referees, our president is very rich,” the voicemail further alleged.

After the alleged players' voicemail reached Victoria United, the statement was released dismissing him with immediate effect.

Other scandals involving same club

It worthy to not that Victoria United FC has in recent months been at the center of controversies in Elite Two league.

During their home game against TKC of Yaounde in the first phase, the club president had disregarded protocol and invaded the pitch to seize the rolling match ball causing an abrupt stop of the game.

Following another home game against Stade de Bertoua, there was a crowd trouble ensued by the visitors’ fans. A last minute penalty was awarded to Victoria United, which the fans deemed not a foul. The opponents threatened to discontinue the game blaming the referee for cheaply favoring Victoria United.

The same Victoria United was awarded another late penalty in Buea against Foncha Street FC, one that raised plenty of dust.

Victoria United also experienced crowd trouble when they travelled to play against Aigle de Moungo in Melong. The home side's goal was disallowed and that caused fans to almost invade the pitch. The referees were only escorted out of the stadium by security forces.

Another victim at home for Victoria United was Dynamo de Douala when another contested penalty was awarded for the home side.

The most recent revelations by their now former goalkeeper could see possible corruption investigations against the Limbe based side.

‘Peanut’ pay of match officials to blame?

Observers and analysts hold that match officials who officiate matches in the country’s amateur and professional league are paid peanuts and in most cases this little sums aren’t even regular.

The Guardian Post Sports gathered that referees in Elite One who handle games in towns where they live are pay at most 50,000 FCFA each match day and could get more if they travel out of the towns they reside to take charge of matches.

In Elite Two, they are paid a maximum of 40,000 FCFA per match for games in the towns where they reside and up to 70,000 FCFA if they have to travel and officiate in another town.

However these payments are said to be irregular according to some match officials The Guardian Post Sports talked to.

A referee who opted for anonymity told us that “last season I officiated matches for the second phase of the Centre regional championship plus the Cup of Cameroon without any payment. What they gave us for that period was just transportation fare. The money only came months later and we were even lucky that we had it. Referees are really ill-treated when it comes to payment” the official said.

He continued “the way the corps is, referees avoid to go vocal, to condemn, criticize openly because when you do so, your colleagues may use against you and once the referee’s commission discovers it, they will sanction you by no longer assigning you to games”.

The said official added: “sometimes you pre-finance your trip to go and officiate a match. You see that with these, referees are tempted to collect the bribes given them by certain clubs”.

While the supposed match-fixing scandals paint a bad image of Cameroon football, lovers of the sports have opined that it is time the Cameroon Football Federation, FECAFOOT, swings into action and sanctions those who are perpetrating the malpractice.