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Cameroon Football Federation convenes emergency meeting after Eto'o-Brys clash

Cameroon Football Federation convenes emergency meeting after Eto'o-Brys clash
Soccer player Samuel Eto'o watches warmups before an International Champions Cup soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, July 26, 2019, in East Rutherford, N.J.   -  
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Hassan Ammar/Copyright 2019 The AP. All rights reserved

African Football

A meeting of the Cameroon Football Federation's Emergency Committee will be held in the next few hours following a missed working session between president Samuel Eto'o and coach Marc Brys. In a press release following the turbulent session at Fecafoot, the Emergency Committee was convened to address the heated exchange between Samuel Eto'o and Marc Brys.

This committee, tasked with making crucial decisions, will determine the next steps for Cameroon's national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.  In Cameroon, all eyes are now on Tsinga, anticipating the outcomes of the Emergency Committee's meeting.

The ongoing crisis in Cameroonian football began to intensify after the recent Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) in Ivory Coast, where the national team's performance was disappointing. In April, Sports Minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombi appointed Marc Brys as the new coach, a decision that did not sit well with Samuel Eto'o. The Fecafoot president had initially refused to endorse Brys and the staff chosen by the ministry, ultimately accepting Brys but imposing his own technical, medical, and administrative staff.

The conflict came to a head on May 28, during a meeting at the Fecafoot headquarters. The session, which started with a cordial "welcome home" from Eto'o to Brys, quickly escalated. Eto'o clashed with Cyrille Tollo, the sports minister's technical advisor, demanding Tollo's expulsion for interfering with a private discussion. "Call security and throw him out! This is the last time, understood?" Eto'o reportedly exclaimed.

Eto'o then pressured Brys to choose sides, asserting his authority as president and criticizing Brys for perceived mistakes. The tense atmosphere prompted Brys to leave the room, leading Eto'o to call for the Emergency Committee's intervention.

With the World Cup qualifiers looming, the Federation's swift action is critical. The football community in Cameroon eagerly awaits the committee's decisions, which will shape the future of the national team and potentially end the ongoing leadership turmoil.