Why is Embiid’s decoration by Sports Ministry causing a stir?
Cameroon-born NBA player Joel Embiid was decorated by the Minister of Sports and Physical Education Narcisse Mouelle Kombi with the Commander of the Order of Valour on Wednesday, August 14, after his arrival in Cameroon from the Paris Games.
The basketball center won gold with the United States of America at the 2024 Olympic Games. He chose to represent the US over France and his home country Cameroon, where he was equally eligible to play.
He has since faced backlash from the French as well as many Cameroonians who felt he had to represent his homeland. He justified his decision saying he did it for his son who was born in the US, and also because winning gold at the Olympics was one of his dreams.
His decoration by the sports minister further sparked an outburst among Cameroonians who have highlighted the law’s prohibition of dual nationality in the country, with many feeling he is being given preferential treatment.
During the meeting with Prof. Narcisse Mouelle Kombi on Wednesday, Embiid said after being told what his decoration represented, he understood “it’s more than a gold medal.”
“I come from Cameroon as I always say, and it will never change” Embiid said.
After winning his Olympic gold medal with the US, he revealed he might play for Cameroon in the next Games if they qualify. That can be possible, but it will require that the two countries involved in the switch validate the move, among other requirements.
