Despite the “Challenge” posed by COVID-19, the African football boss, Patrice Marsepe, confirmed that the African Cup of Nations would take place from January 9th to February 6th.
“I am very satisfied.” In the streets of Yaoundé and Douala, the Cameroonians showed their relief in the aftermath of the retention announcement in the African Cup of Nations (CAN), from January 9th to February 6th. Despite insistent rumors on a postponement or cancellation due to the Pandemic of Covid-19, the boss of the African Football Confederation (CAF), Patrice Marsepe, lifted the last doubts, Tuesday, December 21, ensuring that the competition Lighthouse of the continent would take place on the scheduled date. “On January 9, I will come to see [the opening match] between Cameroon and Burkina Faso,” he said in front of the press.
“This is the best gift we could expect,” rejoices Rodrigue Keyou, interviewed by AFP, in front of Olmbé Stadium, near Yaoundé. The huge speaker of 60,000 seats will welcome the opening match and the final of the tournament. “Cameroon has invested himself for the organization of this major football event. It’s a big sports party,” enthuses this teacher. At the time of the announcement of Mr. Maguepe in Cameroon, “we said that the competition was still going to be postponed,” admits Francis Mbassi, finally relieved after the statements by the CAF President: “We are very happy to know that the most beautiful African competition will be played in Cameroon. “
Achievements and disappointments
Since it has been designated CAN Host Country on September 21, 2014, Cameroon has undergone setbacks and disappointments. In January 2019, the CAF considered that the country of the Indomitable Lions was not ready to welcome the competition and attributed the organization to the foot raised to Egypt. The country had removed the organization with delays in the construction of infrastructure, including Olembé Stadium. The CAN finally had to stand in Cameroon in 2021, but the tournament had been postponed by one year because of the coronavirus-related pandemic.
After the disappointments, the time is now at the celebration, especially in Douala, the economic capital, which will welcome several matches of the competition. “Even when my son was born, I was not nervous like that! I thought Marsepe had come to announce that it was not going to be played,” admits Nathan Mbia, frame in a company.
“We will beat everyone and win the competition”, Pronostic already Hermine, a toy saleswoman, singing to kill a popular song in tribute to Samuel Eto’o, the brand new president of the Cameroonian Federation football (fecafoot). “It would have been a nightmare if they had pushed back the competition,” says Stéphane Billong, a fancier of the national team, which wears a jersey in the colors of the indomitable lions. At eighteen days from the official start of the competition, “I already head at 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. Fans should be fully vaccinated and have a negative PCR test of less than seventy-two hours to attend matches. During his statement at the press, the CAF President stated that the Omicron Variant posed a “huge challenge”. Mr. Mothepe also assured to be aware of the proliferation of “false tests”, but that the organization “dealt with these problems”. “I think it’s normal to seek vaccination to attend the competition, it is to protect us,” Judge Rosette Nieheu, a teacher, in front of the Olembé stadium.
Another uncertainty: Last week, the European Clubs Association (ECA) threatened not to release international players for the CAN, worrying about the health protocol on the pandemic. The ECA focused on the risk of a longer international absence than the expected delivery period, due to the “quarantine and restrictions of displacement” related in particular to the emergence of the Omicron variant.