By Nji Nelson Chefor
Sports Writer, kick442.com Cameroon
Some undisclosed amateur clubs in the Southwest region of Cameroon have written memorandum to the Cameroon Football Federation, FECAFOOT, on the termination and annulment of the 2019/2020 football season.
In the memorandum, the club presidents expressed their disatisfaction with the way at which the various amateur championships were ended without any ‘concrete’ compensation to teams and players who had sacrificed enormously to see the Southwest regional championship at 75%.
After taking note of the decision to annul the amateur championships, the club presidents noted with dismay the way they are being treated.
“We are surprised that no significant accompanying measures have been taken to cushion the disastrous effects of the termination and de facto annulment of the season at the amateur level”, a portion of the memorandum read.
The move to automatically re-affiliate clubs which the club presidents described as “touted” is largely insufficient as it represents an insignificant portion of the expenses that clubs bear in any given season.
Prior to the abrupt annulment of the season, the Southwest region unlike others, were at 75% ratio at the regional championship with clubs in some pools already sure of a place in the regional play-offs, the youth championship was already going on in at least three divisions and some were already at their divisional finals level while the region had had it’s representatives for the round of 32 of the cup of Cameroon.
Despite the fact that the Southwest region has always respected the football calendar put in place by FECAFOOT for the past three years, they always suffer at the end, the presidents lamented.
They cited the case of Victoria United in 2017. According to them, the club was ready for the national playoffs well ahead of time and even camped it’s players for about four months but unfortunately that season was cancelled. Sad enough, no compensation was given to Victoria United neither was it given to other clubs.
“We have been investing hugely in our amateur championship with an avowed goal of returning the region into the elite league and fully exploit the football infrastructure in the region. Sadly, each time that our hopes seem highest and our prospects really bright, we come up against these annulment and cancellation.
The club presidents equally revealed that for the past three years, they are yet to be paid their cup of Cameroon bonuses. Despite the security situation in the region, they have invested enormously to keep the championship running but they have never received any financial support from FECAFOOT to assist them cope with the situation. It should be noted that this week, the president of the Southwest Regional executive of FECAFOOT Thomas Ndive informed clubs that Cameroon cup dues for the 2016 season has been paid into the club account.
To appease the Southwest clubs and make them return to the field next football season, the club presidents have called on the Cameroon Football Federation, FECAFOOT, to give financial and material compensation commensurate to the level at which the competition had reached to all amateur clubs in the South West region, promote at least a team from the region to the elite two championship, give special support to clubs to help them cope with the security situation in the region, automatically renew the totality of all licences for all categories for clubs that took part in the 2019/2020 season and no club should incur any cost for the process and clear all cup of Cameroon bonuses owed clubs for the past five years.
“In the circumstances, and if the aforementioned requests are not met, it is impossible to think that our clubs can participate in any amateur championships or other competitions”, the club presidents concluded.
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