relief in Cameroon, where the CAN is maintained

” I am very satisfied. “ In the streets of Yaoundé and Douala, Cameroonians showed their relief the day after the announcement of the continuation in the country of the African Cup of Nations (CAN), from January 9 to February 6. Despite insistent rumors of a postponement or cancellation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the boss of the African Football Confederation (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, raised the last doubts, Tuesday, December 21, ensuring that the competition mainland lighthouse would take place on schedule. “On January 9, I will come and see [le match d’ouverture] between Cameroon and Burkina Faso ”, he told reporters.

“It’s the best gift we could have expected”, rejoices Rodrigue Keyou, interviewed by AFP, in front of the Olembé stadium, near Yaoundé. The huge 60,000-seat enclosure will host the opening match and the final of the tournament. “Cameroon has invested in the organization of this major football event. It’s a big sports party ”, enthuses this teacher. At the time of the announcement of Mr. Motsepe’s visit to Cameroon, “We said to ourselves that the competition was going to be postponed again”, admits Francis Mbassi, finally relieved after the statements of the president of CAF: “We are very happy to know that the best African competition will be played in Cameroon. “

Setbacks and disappointments

Since it was designated host country of the CAN on September 21, 2014, Cameroon has experienced setbacks and disappointments. In January 2019, CAF estimated that the country of the Indomitable Lions was not ready to host the competition and attributed the organization at short notice to Egypt. The country had been withdrawn from the organization due to delays in the construction of infrastructure, including the Olembé stadium. The CAN was finally to be held in Cameroon in 2021, but the tournament had been postponed for a year due to the pandemic linked to the coronavirus.

After the disappointments, it is now time for celebration, especially in Douala, the economic capital, which will host several matches of the competition. “Even when my son was born, I wasn’t nervous like that! I thought that Motsepe had come to announce that it was not going to be played out ”, admits Nathan Mbia, executive in a company.

“We will beat everyone and win the competition”, already predicts Hermine, a toy saleswoman, singing at the top of her voice a popular song in tribute to Samuel Eto’o, the brand new president of the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fécafoot). “It would have been a nightmare if they had pushed back the competition”, believes Stéphane Billong, a fan of the national team, who wears a jersey in the colors of the Indomitable Lions. Eighteen days before the official start of the competition, “I already have the head to the CAN”, continues this manager in an SME.

A strict health protocol

But to organize the competition, the country had to put in place a strict health protocol. Supporters must be fully vaccinated and present a negative PCR test of less than seventy-two hours to attend matches. During his statement to the press, the president of CAF also affirmed that the Omicron variant posed a “Huge challenge”. Mr. Motsepe also assured to be aware of the proliferation of “False tests”, but that the organization “Dealt with these problems”. “I find it normal to ask for vaccination to be able to attend the competition, it is to protect ourselves”, judge Rosette Nieheu, a teacher, in front of the Olembé stadium.

Another uncertainty remains: last week, the European Club Association (ECA) threatened not to release international players for the CAN, worrying about the health protocol of the event against the backdrop of a pandemic. The ECA pointed out above all the risk of an absence of internationals longer than the period of availability provided for, due to the “Quarantines and movement restrictions” linked in particular to the emergence of the Omicron variant.