Patriotism at all levels!

As competition continues in Canada for the ongoing 2015 FIFA Female World Cup already at the semi-finals stage, teams already eliminated are certainly assessing their participation and projecting into the future.

While some will be regretting why they faltered where and when they did in a bid to unseat reigning World Champions in female football, Japan, others will be relishing their performances, at least on the pitch. But the bottom line is that amendments must be made so as to better 2015 performances in future editions of the competition likewise other high-level competitions of international repute.

Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses, one of three African flagbearers at the tournament, may pride themselves for attaining an enviable round of 16 in their maiden participation in the world female football jamboree. They picked six precious points following victories over fellow greenhorns, Ecuador and Switzerland and dared no-nonsense Japan and China, losing out narrowly. Indeed, the performance of the girls rekindled euphoria of the yesteryears when their male counterparts roared within and without the continent.

Unfortunately, the ecstasy reawakened by the girls’ bravery and patriotism during their stay in Canada and even the triumphal arrival in Cameroon from the competition died down a few hours thereafter. The unending problem of match bonuses that has hijacked the country’s sports movements for long now resurfaced again.

From the initial FCFA 21 million per player following the level they attained in the competition, as announced earlier on, controversy set in as to whether or not the 16.5 per cent deductions contained in the 2015 Finance Law should be applied. While the girls formed a block to insist on nothing short of the FCFA 15 million participation bonus and FCFA 6 million each for the two matches won, sports authorities lobbied to have the Finance Law implemented to the letter.

The argument that regrettably dragged on for days almost diluted the joy of the competition that caused Cameroonians to dream again. The hitherto reports that chanted songs of praise for the girls changed direction with accusations of bad faith, invoking almost always chronic improvisation by football authorities each time a national selection is to participate in international competitions.

This leaves the feeling that some people might be benefitting in the confusion. Cameroonians are still at a loss as to why problems of bonuses and participation allowances should be in the news again almost a year after the Head of State signed a decree clarifying the roles of each actor.

The girls qualified for the competition way back in October 2014 during the African Female Nations Cup in Namibia. Those involved in their preparation had not less than six months to decide on the bonuses and communicate to the team well ahead of time. Bonuses for a high-level competition like the World Cup, could be a motivating factor, should they be significant and made known well ahead of the tournament.

The reverse can be devastating and this almost befell the girls had the technical bench not shown proof of maturity, understanding and much love and respect for the national colours. The presidential decree on bonuses and participation allowances came on the wake of a catastrophic World Cup participation by the male team in the Brazil 2014 World Cup. But what exists today, even after the decree, is not quite different from what existed before. There should therefore be patriotism at all levels.

There is need to respect existing texts and much more; sports authorities absolutely need to be proactive in the moves and decisions they take so as to expect results from the sportsmen and women. The contrary will lead to the blame game that has disturbingly found a comfortable bed in almost all sectors in the country. Results of which are continual regrets and crying over spilled milk which have at best landed the country’s sport movements in the doldrums. No doubt trophy drought rages on.