Cintia A. , Lebledparle.com
In a letter addressed to the presidents of Elite One and Two championship clubs, dated 10th January, the Cameroonian Football Federation informed them of its decision to allow each club to choose the stadiums where they will play. According to the letter, this decision was prompted by ongoing conflicts with ONIES. It is important to note that earlier on, both parties seemed to have reach an agreement on rental fee but however the turn out of things shows an accord wasn’t met.
Read the essential information of the letter below:
The Cameroon Football Federation is experiencing enormous difficulties in scheduling matches of the MTN Elite One and MTN Elite Two Professional Championships in stadiums under the administration of the National Office of Sports Infrastructure and Equipment. Considering that it is currently impractical to play our championships in the said stadiums, I kindly request you to inform FECAFOOT of the names of the stadiums and localities where your home matches will be played no later than 3.00 p.m. on Tuesday 14 January 2025. You will be responsible for the sale of stadium access tickets and the management of related revenue in accordance with the distribution grid formulated.
However, clubs that do not have stadiums in which matches can be played are asked to inform the Federation of this no later than 3.00 pm on Tuesday 14 January 2025.
We trust that you will understand our partnership.
Context
During the championship’s opening ceremony, the federation assured everyone that the competition would proceed smoothly without interruptions. However, ONIES later increased stadium rental fees to exorbitant levels. In response, FECAFOOT sought an alternative by utilizing municipal and annex stadiums. Notably, the opening matches of the MTN Elite One were held at the Melong Municipal Stadium. Unfortunately, the quality of the matches and the image it projected failed to meet the standards FECAFOOT envisions for Cameroonian football. Given that ONIES continues to charge high rental fees, FECAFOOT has decided it is best for each club to select its preferred venue.
The constant back and forth between the Fecafoot and ONIES is a call for concern as it doesn’t speak well of the evolution of the country’s football, which should be addressed.
