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Foot-D1: Hit Parade of a Controversial Season (07.12.2004)
The National Division I Football season for 2004 pulled to the end last Sunday. Coton Sport of Garoua retained the title of Champions of Cameroon after the 14th and last playing day of the National Super League. On the other hand, Victoria United, Botafogo FC Buea, Renaissance of Ngoumou and Cintra of Yaounde were relegated to revise their lessons in Division II. The supremacy of the cotton weavers of the north was made possible thanks to a 4 — 1 spanking of Tonnerre Kalara Club of Yaounde in Obala. The victory added three precious points to their tally, putting them at 30 points, two points ahead of runners up, Racing of Bafoussam.
Despite rumours of favouritism from referees, match officials and national football authorities, the supremacy of Coton Sport came as no surprise to many football observers in the country. It is said to be the fruit of good organisation. In effect, the Garoua-based team has been praised for good management. It can also boost of some of the finest talents in the league. While the players of most teams spent the season bickering over unpaid dues and their managers fighting for leadership, the Garoua boys had no such problems. Serenity reigned as they benefitted from the largesse of the biggest parastatal in the north province.
The end of the season also provides an occasion to make the first assessment of the new Division I format put in place this year by the Cameroon Football Federation. The new format saw the championship played in two pools and in two stages. At the basis of this change was the wish to render football more competitive, attractive and rewarding to clubs (thanks to gate takings). Today, however, one readily observes that these objectives were not met. Never before have the stadia been as empty as they were this season. Some matches were played in almost empty stadia (less than 200 spectators). Gate takings were therefore minimal. Even the famous Canon/Tonnerre encounter could nor generate the steam it has often generated.
The situation stems from the fact that spectators lost interest in the game after the first phase which ended with the relegation of two of the eighteen teams, Cintra and Renaissance, into Division II. The fate of most teams for next season was also sealed before the
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start of stage two. The pooling of the sixteen teams into the National League and National Super League during the second phase of the competition did not, in any way, increase the level of the game. Teams in the National Super League could be considered the untouchables because no matter the quality of football played, they were certain to stay in Division I next season. It is therefore not surprising that some of the most ridiculous scores of the season (4-0) were obtained in the Super League. In this light, the problem of match fixing, which the advocates of the new format wanted to avoid became more and more possible as the National Super League and National League tournaments progressed. Teams which could no longer grab the title of League champion or a place on the continental scene could easily trade matches with those which still had a lot at stake. In the same light, teams that were free from relegation could also play around the way they wanted towards the end of the championship. Some of the results of last Sunday’s encounters wer clear evidence of match fixing.
Organisation was also a great handicapped throughout the season. Matches were scheduled and rescheduled at will. At times some of the encounters, especially those of the National League, went on in complete anonymity. Added to this shortcoming was the problem of indiscipline. Some players and team officials took on referees openly. Stadiums became boxing rings. Some of the protagonists were sanctioned for this unsportsmanship. The homologation and disciplinary committee of the Cameroon Football Federation, for example, recently suspended three players of Canon of Yaounde for violence on referees during matches. Some team managers who exhibited glaring indiscipline were also sanctioned.
The new format has also put some teams in the cold for too long. This is the case with Cintra of Yaounde and Renaissance of Ngoumou, which were dropped from Division I after the first phase in June. They have to wait for the start of another Division II season to enter the pitch. While waiting to see how the clubs that will represent Cameroon in continental competitions next season would peform, a lot still has to be done to give the Division I football the flare and reputation of yesteryears.
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