Federations Presidents Elected Amidst Controversies

By Leocadia Bongben

In line with the prescriptions of the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Augustin Thierry Edjoa, elections in sports federations closed on December 31.

 

Election of sports federation presidents

During the elections there were open confrontations like in the Karate where Emmanuel Wakam proclaimed himself as President after disorder that witnessed the departure of

representatives of the Minister of Sports. He has finally pushed out Aka Amuan after a longstruggle to consolidate his position in the federation.In the Athletics federation, Ange Sama who has been in turbulent waters due to discords with

the Minister of Sports finally bowed to his challenger Jacques Mbous Sebastien who obtained 39 votes against 13 votes for Sama.The Boxing Federation joined the rank of federations craving for change with the come back of Bertrand Mendouga, Inspector of Treasury.

Mendouga lost the elections in 2004 to the outgoing president Jean Marie Akono Ze who was eliminated from the ring this time. Rugby, too, towed the line of change amongst many other federations.

For federations that have maintained the status quo, there were practically no fireworks, as everything went smoothly. Talba Malla was elected in the Cameroon Federation of Sport for all with 52 votes out of 53 and there was feasting afterwards for all the delegates.

Though the same scenario obtained in the Cycling Federation, it was alleged that Umaraou Dogo the first vice president arrived from the north with the intension of contesting but was intimidated and so had to succumb. Francoise Njile was therefore maintained a President.

Also, Alfred Bagueka was re-elected president of the Table Tennis federation, Victor Agbor-Nso in the Cricket Federation and in Edouard Taekwondo Tchoquessi, and Colonel Dieudonne Ayissi in Shooting Sports.

Sanctions For Defaulters

Meanwhile, there are allegations that the Ministry of Sports is brewing sanctions to be meted out to federations that have failed to comply with the December 31 deadline.
FECAFOOT is one of the federations which scheduled its elections for April 2009.

This situation has led observers to believe that the apparent cold war between the Ministry and FECAFOOT has taken a new dimension with the suspension of FECAFOOT looming in the horizon.

It is alleged that a provisional managing committee would eventually take over the running of the affairs of FECAFOOT pending when elections would take place and that the ministry is studying the legality of its actions in order to avoid sanctions from the world football body, FIFA. The question of how the Ministry would go about this remains a puzzle.