Both Eding sports of the Lekie and Yong sports academy of Bamenda, have failed to show up for the opening match of the 2019 football season in Cameroon. The two sides were programmed to square up at the Yaoundé military stadium this Saturday January 26, 2019, for the curtain raiser of the new league one season, but there was no sign of the two teams around the games venue.
Yong sports Academy, instead held a training session in their base in Bamenda, while nothing has been heard of their day’s opponent, Eding Sport, the home side in that encounter.
Their boycott of the opening game of the championship is attributed to what they call solidarity with their union, The Syndicate of Elite Clubs of Cameroon, known by its French acronym as SYCEC. The Union, headed by Frank Happi, is demanding for the general assembly of the league to be held, before the league can kick off. The president of YOSA, Jacques Yong, had previously stated that his team will not take part in the opening game, while his counterpart of Eding, Saint Fabian Mvogo, speaking through some media organs in yaounde siad his team will not play if their opponents don’t show up.
Recent interventions by the Cameroon football Federation and Cameroon’s sports Minister Narcisse Moulle Kombi have yielded no fruits, as the clubs hold firm to their demands.
The absence of the two main actors did not perturb the launching ceremony of the new football season, which took place under the supervision of the president of the Cameroon professional football league, General Pierre Semengue. The match officials headed by center referee,Mandeng Bakally carried out all the prematch rituals, and declared the game ended 15 minutes after the supposed kick off time.
Speaking to the media afterward, Pierre Semengue emphasized on the decision of the minister of sport during a meeting with both parties last Thursday January 25th, calling for the start of the football season this Saturday. Eding sport and YOSA therefore lost the game by forfeiture and risk explosion from the league, should they miss their day two matches, declared General Pierre Semegue.
Other day one matches have been scheduled in stadia across the country this Sunday January 27, 2019, amidst uncertainty to whether the other clubs will show up for their games, or follow the example Eding and YOSA. The Cameroon professional football league has been on a break for about seven months now, since the last football season ended.
AFESEH APONG
