YAOUNDE: Cameroon’s World Cup squad refused to board their scheduled plane to Brazil yesterday in a strike action over money for the tournament, officials said.
Cameroon’s footballers have previously refused to play due to rows with the football federation over cash, and the run up to this tournament has been undermined by disagreements over the bonus payment players should receive for playing in Brazil.
National team coach Volker Finke said that talks were underway as players are complaining that the 50m CFA francs ($104,000) that the players were paid was not enough
“I am sure the problem will be solved and we (will) take off either this afternoon or in the evening,” Finke said.
Players remained at their hotel and journalists were barred from meeting them. The president of Cameroon’s football federation held talks with his staff in his offices.
A member of Cameroon’s official delegation confirmed the row over the payment of bonuses but said that it had been resolved by early afternoon.
“They just told us that the problem is solved and that we have to be at the airport at around 9.30 PM (2030 GMT) for the travel,” the source said, asking not to be named.
A charter plane had been due to leave Yaounde for Brazil, where Cameroon play their opening game of the tournament against Mexico on Friday.
Cameroon players had last week threatened to go on strike until they received promised payment for participating at the World Cup but suspended the strike ahead of their international friendly against Germany last Sunday, the French sports paper L’Equipe reported.
Highlighting unease within the camp, players boycotted the traditional handing over of the national flag to the captain on Saturday after their last warm up match, forcing the prime minister to give it to their German coach instead.
Cameroon are in Group A with hosts Brazil, Croatia and Mexico.
Meanwhile, Belgium forward Romelu Lukaku will need to rest for several days after injuring his ankle in Saturday’s World Cup warm-up against Tunisia, his coach Marc Wilmots said.
The Chelsea forward, who spent last season on loan at Everton, came on in the 61st minute of the 1-0 victory in Brussels but limped off just before full-time.
“He’s in pain but the doctors don’t think it’s too serious, at least at first glance,” Wilmots was quoted as saying in Belgian press on Sunday.
“He will be checked over more closely on Sunday but it’s probably a bad sprain. Hopefully he just needs three or four days to recover.”
The news was worrying for Belgium who have already lost Christian Benteke due to a ruptured Achilles tendon.
It means their only remaining out-and-out striker is teenager Divock Origi, who started on Saturday before being replaced by Lukaku.
Wilmots lashed out at the Tunisian players for what he perceived as roughhouse tactics in what was a friendly.
“I had hoped there wouldn’t be any injuries but in the changing rooms all I saw were bruises and ice-packs,” complained Wilmots.
Belgium trained for the last time in Brussels at the King Baudoin stadium Sunday morning before heading to Brazil, after which players posed for photos with King Philippe, Queen Mathilde and the royal couple’s four children.
As well as Lukaku, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and full-back Jan Vertonghen sat out the training session as a precaution.
Expectation and excitement is at fever pitch in Belgium as the country has not competed at a World Cup since 2002.
Agencies
