A few hours after being named coach of the Central African Republic by ministerial decree, Cameroonian Rigobert Song saw the Central African Football Federation (FCF) formally oppose this decision on Tuesday.
Monday, after a meeting with Faustin Archange Touadera, President of the Central African Republic, and the Minister of Sports, Heir Doneng, the Cameroonian legend Rigobert Song has been appointed coach of the Central African Republic by ministerial decree.
Problem: as happens quite often in Africa, and particularly in Cameroon, like the feuilleton Marc Brys Last year, the Central African Football Federation complained of not having been consulted in this process. Faced with a fait accompli, the body refuses to recognize the appointment of the former coach of the Cameroon on the Fauves bench of Bas Oubangui.
“The Central African Football Federation learned with dismay and surprise through social networks of decree No. 002 /MP/SEC/DIR-CAB.2025, of January 13, 2025 appointing the coaches of the National Team A. The Executive Committee of the Central African Football Federation meeting in extraordinary session on January 14, 2025 informs national and international opinion that it was not involved or consulted in making this decision. Therefore, she states that it does not recognize itself in this unilateral decision contrary to the provisions in force 'Decisions concerning the recruitment of members of management structures must remain among the rights and skills reserved solely to the Executive Committee of the Federations'”, denounces a press release from the FCF.
The pressure from the FCF
The body recalled that it “had decided to nationalize the position of coach of Fauves A. This is how the interim was entrusted to an entirely Central African technical staff and led by Eloge Enza Yamissi; former captain of Fauves A.”The FCF then ended with a final push of pressure:
“Following the latest result of the qualification of the Central African Republic for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) and at a time when the President of the Republic, Head of State, Professor Faustin Archange Toaudera is increasing efforts to consolidate peace between the daughters and sons of the country, the Central African Football Federation, which is part of this vision, would like to avoid any action aimed at creating an unnecessary crisis between the Ministry in charge of Sports and the body in charge of managing the Central African football“, warned the authority.
The ball is therefore in the court of the Ministry of Sports, which it is however difficult to imagine turning back… Clearly not the kind of welcome that Song, unemployed for almost a year and his dismissal from the post of coach of Cameroon, could have imagined…
