Football-loving Cameroon counts down to first AFCON in 50 years
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Loading... - Claudine Abanda
- 11 Aug 2022
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Ndongo Minsoko was 10 years old in 1972 when he was among 1,000 students who were selected to join thousands of other spectators for the opening ceremony of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Cameroon’s capital, Yaounde.
Half a century later, he is now set to witness his country hosting Africa’s top football tournament for a second time.
“I feel so excited and honoured,” said Minsoko, a professor at the National Institute of Youth and Sport in Yaounde. “We should give a very, very good image of our country.”
On Sunday, Cameroon’s national team – known as “The Indomitable Lions” – will take on Burkina Faso at AFCON’s opening game at Yaounde’s Olembe Stadium.
Cameroon was first scheduled to host the month-long tournament in 2019, but it was replaced by Egypt due to preparation delays and security worries. It was then awarded the 2021 edition, which was pushed back by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
And just a few weeks ago, doubts persisted over whether Cameroon would be able to host the 24-tournament amid fears of COVID-19 outbreaks and security concerns over a years-long conflict in the country’s Anglophone regions. The uncertainty was increased by reported rifts among members of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) executive committee, as well as opposition by European clubs which threatened to withhold their African players bound for the tournament because of the pandemic.
There were also concerns over Cameroon’s readiness in terms of organisation and completion of infrastructure. But on December 22, following a “fruitful” meeting between CAF President Patrice Motsepe and Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, the football body said it was going ahead with “preparations of a successful hosting” of the tournament. Read More...
