Fecafoot Comforted By CAS Decision

Tombi A Roko Sikidi 

The President of the Cameroon Football Federation, FecafootTombi A RokoSikidi has said the federation is comforted by the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS.

                Bernard Foucher the judge of the court on February 27 rejected an appeal filed by EtoileFilante of Garoua and its president AbdouramanHamadouBabba (Chief of Cabinet during Iya Mohammed’s tenure as Fecafoot President) on the count that the appeal was submitted outside the deadline.

                But to the court, the rejection does not affect the decision of the Court of Conciliation and Arbitration, CCA of the Cameroon National Olympics and Sports Committee, CNOSC annulling the December 12, 2015 elections.

                The court recognizes Abdouraman as the president of EtoileFilante de Garoua and ordered the club to pay the fees for the case.

                Reacting, Fecafoot President Tombi A RokoSidiki says, “CAS decision is largely in our favour and when the court indicates that the adverse party should stick to internal jurisdiction it is because the court is not responsible for implementing the decision of the CCA.

                “We did not appeal the decision of the CCA just because the instance is not competent to handle election litigation.

                “It would be an expensive venture to conduct fresh elections at this moment because Fecafoot does not even have that money and we equally saw what it cost the Normalisation Committee in 25 months.

                “I advise the opposing camp to start work to convince the Electoral College which is already known given that the next elections would happen in two and a half years rather than go to the court in Switzerland.

                The drama at the Cameroon football started with the September 28 2015 when the Normalisation Committee put in place by CAF and FIFA organised elections.

                Elections held, supervised by CAF and FIFA, Tombi won the elections but days afterward when the Normalisation Committee had parked out AbdouramanHamadou Baba and co, President of EtoileFilante of Garoua filed a case at the CCA of the Cameroon National Olympics Committee contesting the elections.

                They argued that the delegates to the elective general assembly from the regions were changed distabilizing the process. They argued that the 2009 elective general assembly should have been stayed with the delegates not changed for the elections.

                The CCA ruled in favour of Abdouraman and co cancelling the September 28, 2015 elections.

                Abdouraman and co argued that the present President Tombi was illegal thereby attributing the powers to the 2009 executive committee led by John BegheniNde.

                BidoungMpkatt the present Minister of Sports on November 12, 2015 in a release recognized Fecafoot elections and Tombi as president. FIFA also recognized Fecafoot elections and its president.

                Abdouraman and co filed an appeal the Court of Sports Arbitration, on December 9, 2015 on the cancellation of the elections by the CCA, contesting the legality of Fecafoot President and staying the John BegheniNde led 2009 executive committee to take over.