Double identity ravaging Cameroon football?
A list of players from different clubs in the Elite One, have been exempted from participating in the 2024 playoffs of the championship due to double identity.
Reports indicate that over 60 players from 15 clubs will have to file appeals for examination.
The Elite One playoffs (Up and Down) are scheduled between March 16 and April 21, 2024, with 19 teams expected to participate.
Victoria United are among the sides that sailed through to the playoffs up, after filing protests which had some clubs penalized for using players with double identity.
In the case that pitted OPOPO against YOSA, the Yellow Submarines were accused of fielding six players with forged identification in their day 17 encounter on February 27, in Limbe. The number has, however, risen to 13 players in the recent verdict.
Victoria United are affected as well, with seven players listed. This includes 17-year-old Wilfried Nathan Doualla, whose age sparked controversy during the AFCON 2023.
A demanding 2024 Playoffs
While fans hope to see the football season end without an abrupt interruption, club presidents on the one hand and the federation on the other hand, have been very exigent towards each other.
All clubs retained for the playoffs are considered to have met required conditions set by FECAFOOT, which has gone further to identify some of the clubs for age fraud and double identity.
Going by the recent meetings held by the Cameroon Association of Elite Clubs (ACEC), the federation also had it’s own obligations which were not being respected.
Clubs under ACEC threatened to withdraw from the playoffs if their subventions, stadium benefits and 2022/2023 Ballon d’Or payment among other claims, were not met. A meeting was held on Saturday, March 9, after which both parties finally reached an agreement.
The playoffs will determine this year’s winner of the championship, teams that will participate in CAF competitions, and the ones that will be relegated to the inferior league.
