BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

 There is palpable fear in Cameroon that the hosting rights for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations may be forfeited.

Even before the expanded format which the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced last month after a symposium in Rabat, Morocco, there had been fears of an in-built mechanism to make Cameroon fail in the excellent delivery of the tournament.

A Cameroon newspaper, Cameroon Post, had enunciated analysts’ views and summed that the decision to increase the number of teams from 16 to 24 beginning with the 2019 edition is a step towards telling Cameroon that they cannot host the competition.

Another publication, Bamenda Online, reported that “Cameroon may crack with expanded format”.  In another edition of the publication, it reported that Algeria had submitted a request to replace Cameroon as the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, host, if CAF, decided to take away the hosting rights from Cameroon.

• Proposed Paul Biya Stadium, Yaounde

Citing an undisclosed source, Bemenda Online has it that a leader of Southern African regional football body, COSAFA, Phillip Chiyangwa, claimed that Cameroon’s hosting rights for AFCON tournaments were corruptly awarded under the regime of Issa Hayatou.

According to reports, the current CAF executive committee was said to be reviewing the manner in which the right to host the 2019, 2021 and 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments were awarded to Cameroon and other West Africa nations by the previous CAF administration.

After those allegations faded out, the problem of doubts over Cameroon readiness to host the 2019 soccer jamboree erupted.

Cameroon Post quoted a sports journalist as saying that “Cameroon should sue CAF for changing the rules while the competition is ongoing. That is breach of the rules of the game. Anywhere, if the worst comes to the worse, the 2019 AFCON should be co-hosted.”

Perhaps it is along that line that Tombi A Roko Sidiki, the president of Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT), is thinking. Shortly after returning from the Rabat, Morocco symposium organized by CAF, he told the press in Cameroon: “to me, the 2019 AFCON is underway and the playoffs of the competition have started. We are in a world of law and we are not going to change the rules of the game along the way.”

A senior journalist in Cameroon that Sports Village Square spoke with was of the opinion that the country was determined to meet the new demands imposed by the expanded cup format “knowing well that we are victims of the anti-Hayatou atmosphere in CAF today.

“It’s a sort of trap to take the hosting rights for us…but if they change the rules to eight stadia, we will give 10. The government and people of Cameroon are ready for the challenge and we will go the extra mile to welcome the continent in 2019”, remarked the experienced former sports journalist.

But situation on ground may be more than just a determination to deliver an excellent tournament. Stadium construction and upgrading of facilities are reportedly behind schedule.

In fact, Cameroon Post reported that FECAFOOT had terminated partnership agreements with a US-based company, Prime Potomac, which was saddled with the construction of Bemenda Olympic Stadium, one of the venues of the 2019 competition that is barely 18 months away.

Major concerns have been about facilities in Yaoundé and Douala which are being stalled by low funding. Under the previous 18-team format, Cameroon proposed to host the tournament in five cities of Douala, Yaoundé, Bafoussam, Garoua and Limbe.

It will now need six stadiums to host the competition. Sports Village Square gathered from Bamenda online that only the town of Limbe looks completely ready for the event.

The newspaper however quoted the country’s sports and physical education minister, Ismeal Bidoung Mkpatt as reassuring that the government was putting everything together for Cameroon to host Africa come 2019.

The upgrading of facilities is going at a very slow pace. According to Cameroon Post, work is yet to start on the Garoua Roumd Adjia Ominisport Stadium where the 16,000 seats need to be increased to 20,000.

Other works to be done there include refurbishment of dressing rooms, lightings, and the annexing of the nearby Lamido Hayatou de Poupoumre Stadium.

According to the reports, the works have been handed over to Chinese and Portuguese companies.

Other proposed sites are Bafoussam Ominisport Stadium, Paul Biya Stadium in Yaounde and the Japoma Stadium in Douala.

According to Cameroon Post, facilities in Douala and Yaounde pose the greatest problems. Construction works are yet to begin. “The Turkish firm contracted for Paul Biya Stadium and its two annexes in Yaounde has opted to import pre-fabricated parts to speed up the project.” The report has it that work recently began at Japoma Stadium in Douala.

• Proposed Japoma Stadium, Douala