Afrobasket Women 2015: Lionesses not happy with Fecabasket

Indomitable basketball Lionesses, the second best African champions in 2015, are still at Mont Febe Hotel in Yaoundé where they await their payment of premiums.

The players are very angry with the leaders of the Cameroon Basketball Federation, Amina Djonkou and her comrades addressed a statement to the federal leaders on October 7, 2015. Cameroon-info-net offered the full press release.

Below is the official press release from the Indomitable Basketball Lionesses of Cameroon:

At the Cameroonian people,

We the players of the national basketball team of Cameroon were shocked by the publication of the Cameroonian Basketball Federation (FECABASKET) about us circulating issues via social media and other networks. After the publication by the Secretary-General (SG) of the FECABASKET, Camille Njoh Ekitti, we would like to make some clarification.

The premium on board; we would like to clarify that the SG in the said publication had failed to point out that this is the Afrobasket and not African Women Games.

The SG mentioned in it that each of us had received FCFA 4.3 million, which is not entirely true and the reasons are:

I- AFRICAN GAMES

1. Preparations stage:

20 shortlisted players, 16 players present, players 12 selected

- Course of bonus on August 24 to September: FCFA 250 000 minus 16.5% tax; so bonus received was FCFA 41,750.

- Bonus for African Games participation: FCFA 750 000 minus 16.5%; so bonus received was FCFA 622,000.

Total amount received by those selected FCFA 633 750.

NB: African Games (JA) have no relationship with the Afrobasket.

Moreover, the workforce that participates in African Games is not the same one that was at the Afrobasket. In other words, players who received bonuses for African Games have not received necessarily those of the Afrobasket and vice versa. And note that 16.5% of FCFA 750 000 is 626 250 FCFA and not 622 000 FCFA received.

II- Afrobasket

1. Preparations stage

20 shortlisted players, 16 players present, 12 players selected

- Preparations stage bonus from June 15, 2015 to July 18, 2015: FCFA 250,000 minus 16.5% tax; So bonus received FCFA 208.750.

- Course of Preparations stage bonus in ITALY from July 19, 2015 to August 20, 2015: FCFA 250,000 minus 16.5% tax; so bonus received is FCFA 208.750.

- Participation in the Afrobasket bonus paid the day before the competition, September 23, 2015: FCFA 3,000,000 minus 16.5% tax, so bonus received is FCFA 2,505,000.

Total bonus collected differently from June 15, 2015, until September 23, 2015, amounted to FCFA 2,922,500 for those involved in all stages. NB: The total amount we have received regarding the Afrobasket, amounted to FCFA 2,922,500 and not FCFA 4.3 million as published by the SG of FECABASKET.

On another level, he criticized us for not having defined the basics from the beginning and to resort to blackmail. We wish to draw the attention to the fact that on August 5, 2015, in Italy, we held a meeting with the President of the FECABASKET, Mr. Samuel Nduku, to whom we submitted our complaint.

The latter detailing our expectations which are: games won bonuses, premiums for qualifications for the quarter-final, semi-final and final and premium for winning the tourney. On October 5, 2015, we were surprised to learn that the said complaint had not been channelled safely. The pretext given to us by the president of the FECABASKET is that it was not realistic. Yet it was not for him to judge; the new Minister made his remarks in the presence of the captain.

Before concluding, immediately before the first round of the competition, we again held a meeting with the president of the FECABASKET and SG to find out what it was from our complaint. It is only then that we were informed that a premium of FCFA 2 million would be allocated to each player.

He told us to focus on the competition, to trust him, and that amount would be revised upwards.

In sum, given the statement that the SG of FECABASKET published, we wanted to clarify the situation.

We remain proud of us being beaten for the colours of our country, Cameroon and are enormously grateful to all the people of Cameroon and others for their support.

Thank you

Signed:

The Players of the Cameroon Basketball Ladies National Team.