FIFA to run crisis-hit Cameroon federation

Cameroon is struggling to complete the necessary infrastructure projects to host the three-week event.

The organisation of the tournament has been complicated by a power struggle at the heart of the Cameroonian Football Association after Tombi Roko Sidiki’s controversial victory in the 2015 race to be chief executive was annulled by the country’s national Olympic and sports committee.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed that decision, agreeing that the electoral process had contained irregularities and FIFA said Thursday it had put in place an interim committee until new elections can be held “no later than” February 28, 2018.

“The Bureau of the FIFA Council has today decided to appoint a normalisation committee for the Cameroonian Football Association (FECAFOOT),” FIFA said in a statement released Wednesday.

Continental football chief Ahmad Ahmad warned this month that Cameroon was “not ready” to host the 2019 tournament, which will be expanded to 24 teams for the first time and held in June and July.

“Cameroon isn’t ready to welcome even four teams,” said Ahmad, the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

That drew a pledge from Cameroonian President Paul Biya that his nation “will be ready when the day comes”.

CAF spokesman Junior Binyam said FIFA’s decision did not mean the Cameroonian federation was banned.

“It’s just the executive that is (no longer) existing,” Binyam said.

A number of countries, including Morocco and Algeria, have said they are prepared to stand in to host the 2019 Cup of Nations.