CAF maintains sanction against Stéphane Mbia

The CAF commission in charge of the Organization of AFCON 2015 has not taken a decision on the match Ivory Coast played against Cameroon Wednesday, November 19, 2014 at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium for the 6th and final day of play.

The two teams, on a zero score, refused during the last five minutes to engage actively until the final whistle, a conduct inconsistent with the spirit of the game which shocked so many people.

The spectators who came out in their numbers at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny stadium then invaded the field at the end of the match with the majority, not to celebrate the qualification of the Elephants of Cote d'Ivoire for the final phase AFOCN but to wrest some players like edette Gervinho.

Another fact that fueled the controversy, was the suspension of the Cameroon defender and captain of the indomitable Lions Stéphane Mbia at the start of the second half following a fault little obvious on Gervinho.

Suspension challenged by Mbia and the technical staff of Cameroon. In the locker room at the end of the match, CAF officials had promised the Cameroonians to overturn the red card if, during assessment by the referees, the video of the match proved that Mbia was not guilty of misconduct on the Ivorian striker.

According to a CAF official, after reviewing the match, the Organising Committee decided to confirm the sanction imposed on the Cameroonian Defender. As a result, Mbia is suspended for the first match of Cameroon in the final phase of the AFCON in Guinea Equatorial 2015.

On the other hand, the CAF could inflict a penalty on the Ivorian football Federation "on the defects observed in the level of security" noted our source. "It would be a scandal if CAF does not address at least a warning to both teams engaged in a shameful and condemnable match end" considered François Assong, Cameroonian Sports analyst and former referee.