SAMBA FEVER: Cameroon squad refuse to fly to Brazil in pay dispute

Cameroon’s World Cup squad have refused to board a plane due to take them to Brazil for the World Cup because of disputes over bonuses, according to French sports newspaper L’Equipe.

The newspaper’s website claims that the squad have instead remained at their hotel in the Cameroonian capital Yaoundé, while reporters have camped outside the Cameroon Football Federation headquarters awaiting further information.

The players were due to fly out from Yaoundé on Sunday morning, in a plane specially chartered by Cameroon President Paul Biya. It’s emerged that the squad have so far refused to travel because the World
Cup bonuses they are being offered are not as much as expected.

It’s also alleged that the players had considered calling a strike over a fortnight ago, during the squad’s World Cup training camp, but postponed any action. Cameroon have since played a series of warm-up friendly matches, drawing 2-2 with Germany and beating Moldova 1-0 on Saturday, after which the tensions within the squad are said to have increased.

Cameroon, managed by German coach Volker Finke, are due to begin their World Cup campaign next Friday against Mexico. Their other fixtures in Group A are against hosts Brazil and Croatia. Finke’s final 23-man squad for the tournament includes Samuel Eto’o,
Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Barcelona’s Alex Song.

This is not the first time that financial concerns have affected the Indomitable Lions’s preparations for a World Cup. Disputes over bonus payments were reported in both 1994 and 2002 – the team failed to get out of their group in both tournaments.

Cameroon’s last appearance in the knockout stages came 24 years ago, during their memorable run at the 1990 World Cup in Italy.