STORY: New Cameroonian coach signs contract in absence of governing body officials
SHOOTING TIME: April 8, 2024
DATELINE: April 10, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:20
LOCATION: Yaounde
CATEGORY: SPORTS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the signing ceremony of the new head coach of Cameroon national men's football team
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (French): NARCISSE MOUELLE KOMBI, Minister of Sports and Physical Education of Cameroon   
3. various of the signing ceremony of the new head coach of Cameroon national men's football team
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (French): MARC BRYS, New head coach of Cameroon national men's football team

STORYLINE:

New head coach of Cameroon national men's football team Belgian Marc Brys signed his contract on Monday but officials of Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) did not attend the signing ceremony.

FECAFOOT president Samuel Eto'o said in a statement that they could not attend the ceremony because they received the invitation letter "two hours before the said ceremony."

"Unfortunately, we are busy organizing the funeral of our late father, and for this reason, we will not be able to attend the ceremony," said Eto'o, whose late father's funeral will take place on the weekend.

Last week, a deadlock erupted after the country's Minister of Sports and Physical Education Narcisse Mouelle Kombi announced the appointment of 61-year-old Brys to replace Rigobert Song. FECAFOOT said it did not agree with the appointment because it "was not involved in the procedure leading to the appointment" and gave Eto'o 72 hours to appoint a new coaching staff for the team.

Football analysts said, Cameroon, as a major football nation in Africa, could be sanctioned by FIFA if the impasse continues.

During Monday's signing ceremony, Kombi said, Brys and his staff have been tasked to "qualify the Indomitable Lions for the final phase of the next World Cup and ensure that they secure a dominant, triumphal and luminous position at Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco in 2025."

SOUNDBITE 1 (French): NARCISSE MOUELLE KOMBI, Minister of Sports and Physical Education of Cameroon     
"Coach, members of the technical staff, your players must give the reassuring and convincing impression at the stadium that they enjoy playing, and that they form a close-knit, disciplined, united family. Aware that harmony is one of the mothers of victory."

SOUNDBITE 2 (French): MARC BRYS, New head coach of Cameroon national men's football team
"We don't have much time left, but we're going to use the time we have. We're very lucky that we can invite players a little earlier and I think that we can work together for 7 or 8 days. The only thing is that time is short to get things in place. If a choice has to be made, it's first and foremost the group players who will be retained, and I insist on keeping that."

The contract will last for two years.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Yaounde.
(XHTV)