Cameroon: “when he comes back…”, Bell reveals why ccdidn’t intervene on behalf of the staff

Joseph-Antoine Bell, a legend of the Cameroonian national team as a goalkeeper and astute observer of the Indomitable Lions, spoke out about the apparent silence of the President of the Republic in the ongoing power struggle between the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot) and the Ministry of Sports (Minsep), which has been making headlines for several weeks.

During his appearance on the late-night show “La vérité en Face” on Équinoxe TV Sunday evening, JAB criticized Fecafoot and explained President Paul Biya’s relative indifference towards the often turbulent battle between the federation and its supervisory ministry regarding the national team staff. This standoff has significantly tarnished the country’s international image in recent months. The former Marseille player believes the elderly president’s silence reflects a well-thought-out plan, with the next step possibly being sanctions.

“When he speaks again, it will be to strike.”

“Don’t expect the head of state to intervene in disputes every day. He has spoken (…). He will calmly judge who listens, who understands, and who doesn’t. When he speaks again, it will be to strike,” he declared. And the two-time African champion (1984, 1988) believes he knows who will bear the brunt of the president’s wrath: Samuel Eto’o, the president of Fecafoot, though not explicitly named. In his view, Biya had entrusted the Ministry of Sports with control during his national address following the dramatic elimination of the Indomitable Lions in the round of 16 of the 2023 AFCON.

🔴 Joseph Antoine Bell : « Ne vous attendez pas à ce que le Chef de l'État se mêle des querelles tous les jours. Il a parlé […] Il jugera tranquillement qui écoute, qui sait comprendre, qui ne sait pas comprendre. Quand il reviendra, ce sera pour frapper.» 🇨🇲

[La vérité en… pic.twitter.com/m0SLmn5U9x

— AllezLesLions (@AllezLesLions) June 16, 2024

“Everyone discussing this matter, whether minister or ordinary citizen, claims to respect the President. However, on February 10, 2024, the President said what he had to say. He identified ‘indiscipline’ and ‘lack of organization,’ along with the team’s current state, as causes. He then stated that he had issued firm instructions to the government, primarily to the Ministry of Sports, for a solution. Notably, he did not mention Fecafoot.”

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