YOSA yet to receive prize six months after crowned champs

Six months after the Cameroon Cup, authorities of the Yong Sports Academy, YOSA, have picked issues with the Cameroon Football Federation; FECAFOOT, for not disbursing to them the cash prize that should have accompanied the cup as winners of the 2013 edition.

The issue was raised at the premises of late Pa Yong Francis, founder of YOSA during a press conference granted by the management of the team recently.

Two of YOSA's midfielders, Tchoing Olivier and Ntieche Eric Joel who had suddenly disappeared at the start of this year's championship were also officially received during the meeting.

Speaking to Journalists on a rather angry tone, the president of YOSA, Yong Jack cried foul in what he termed a grave weakness on the part of the authorities of FECAFOOT.

He regretted that since pitching last year’s Cameroon cup, YOSA's victory has not been felt in Bamenda and Northwest region as a whole owing to the fact that the cash prize has not yet been disbursed to them.

He said, "We were rightly informed that a sum of FCFA 10 million was allocated for the winner and FCFA 5million as second prize for the loser, but till this point, we have not received a dime."

The bone of contention here lies within the context of the statistics which have proven that only Anglophone teams in Cameroon undergo such torments and marginalisation.

The first victim was the then Kumbo Strikers FC which clutched the Cup some many years ago but whose cash prize allegedly disappeared into thin air.

As if this was not enough, a year later the team dropped to the second division. Heads almost rolled as a result of the money.

A glaring example was the President of Kumbo Strikers, Shey Tasha Lawrence, who doubled as President General of Amity Bank at that time who was almost lynched to death as people thought he had pocketed the money.

Again, another Anglophone team, Mount Cameroon FC went through a similar treatment as their cash prize was never accounted for. In this case, Mt Cameroon FC did not only drop as a second division team but the team seized to exist a year later up till date.

Yong Sports Academy, a Bamenda based football club that was founded in 2004, 10 years ago by late Bobe Yong Francis is reported to be undergoing what its predecessors went through in the hands of the authorities.

It should be recalled that the indefatigable players started a strike action after winning the Cup in Yaoundé and the Cup was never brought to Bamenda that same day.

It was again seen as a bad omen that YOSA may still be dropped to the second division as the Bamenda team has lost all its matches this season.

The poor performance by YOSA this season has left tongues wagging and people doubting YOSA's position as far as football in Cameroon is concerned.

This poor performance could no doubt be attributed to the disappearance of the money which the team rightfully earned, but could not enjoy it.

It is said to have brought down their morals and team spirit. It could also have triggered the disappearance of the team's topmost players of YOSA.

Quizzed as to the impact of the said players, the team leader of YOSA, Terence Chah Mbam, who doubles as Njinikom Mayor, reiterated that the return of the players will greatly boost the performance of the team.

He also opined that as opposed to last season, where out of 28 games YOSA had played, the players proved to be very active.

"I want to think that their return will not only water down the anger within the population but also to produce alarming results for YOSA," he added.

However, Yong Jack promised the public and especially die-hard supporters of YOSA that the management of YOSA had tripled their efforts to always keep YOSA at the top.