By Basil K. Mbuye
The case pitting Bamboutos FC of Mbouda against FECAFOOT that saw Bamboutos relegated to the inferior Division in 2007 saw the verdict passed by the Chamber of Conciliation and Arbitration of the National Olympic and Sports Committee of Cameroon reinstating Bamboutos into Elite I.
?Resolution 2: THE FECAFOOT, after noting with dismay the award No. 0042 dated 23 December 2013 by which the Chamber of Conciliation and Arbitration of the National Olympic Committee of Cameroon reversed the decision No. 004 of 26 September 2007 Appeal Committee FECAFOOT having demoted Bamboutos Club Mbouda two (02) divisions for corruption, nevertheless, for the sake of appeasement and sanitation litigation reached a compromise with Bamboutos Club Mbouda to put an end to the dispute. The Club is therefore reinstated the Ligue 1 championship in Cameroon.? The Release reads in part.
Bamboutos was relegated into the inferior league after they were accused of match corruption by FECAFOOT in a match against Federal of Noun in which they were fighting relegation.
Speaking to journalist after the verdict, the President of Bamboutos FC, Mathias Tangue expressed his satisfaction.
“When the diabolical decision fell, I had told journalists that one day the truth will prevail in this case. When this decision was taken on December 23, it was a unique event. Having won this trial by year-end is a blessing. When this decision was made a few hours, drinks were finished in the city of Mbouda . ?Tangue said.
Thus, the national first division championship will be played this season finally with 19 clubs instead of 14 as was the case last year. In addition Bamboutos,?? Panther of Nde , Sable of Batie and Tonnerre of Yaound? , condemned to relegation at the end of the 2013 season will be stay . In addition, Ums of Loum, Cosmos of Bafia and Scorpion of Be, the top three teams from the second division are all admitted in?? Division One this year.
Meanwhile, Apejes of Mfou that finished in fourth place will also play Division One this year.
“With this odd number, a team will be free each day of play. At the end of the championship, the last four clubs will be relegated to Division Two and the first three of the D2 will rise. This will enable us to find the number of 18 clubs?? set initially, “says a member of the Standards Committee who attended the meeting last Friday.
Also, it is also believed that the amount to subsidize clubs have been increased from FCFA 250 million to FCFA 410 million. The organizers of the new elite championship now called it ?Ligue 1 “. February 1, 2014 was chosen as a new date to kick start the championship.
The Genesis
The case dates back to September 16, 2007 while Bamboutos Mbouda played against Federal of Noun at the Douala Reunification Stadium in the match counting the?? 30th day in the Elite I. After winning the game 3 goals to 2, the boy’s Mangwa as they are fondly called escaped relegation. However, following a decision of September 23, 2007 from FECAFOOT Disciplinary and Homologation Committee, Bamboutos Mbouda was relegated to the Regional Division II. This was as a result of the fact that they were accused of match fixing.?? The case was however brought before a civil court, which on July 28, 2008, delivered its verdict. After recognizing the jurisdiction of the civil court to hear the case but the court found Bamboutos of Mbouda not guilty of corruption and asked FECAFOOT to reinstate Bamboutos back. However, FECAFOOT did not respect the decision Mfoundi? Court of First Instance in 2008.
Racing FC of Bafoussam Seeks Justice
After the restoration of Bamboutos of Mbouda into Division One, Racing of Bafoussam are also pressing for justice after they were relegated into the West Regional League in 2010.
They are asking for the Chamber of Conciliation and Arbitration of the National Olympic and Sports Committee of Cameroon to reinstate them into Division Two. This, according to them?? is a decision which had not been respected by the management team led by Iya Mohammed at the time.
Initially, a decision on appeal from the Chamber of Conciliation and Arbitration against that of the Board of Appeals of the F?cafoot had been made ??in favour of Racing Bafoussam in October 2010.Racing?s victory in the match against Santos of Koza was however annulled and the point given to Santos.
However, Racing FC also complained that Santos of Koza fielded an unidentified player (without license or identity card) during this meeting. It was then that Racing had appealed to the Chamber of Conciliation and Arbitration, which had made its decision in favour of Racing Bafoussam. Unfortunately, this decision was not respected by FECAFOOT.
