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Rabat – Fouzi Lekaa, the head of Morocco’s Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) and FIFA council member, was on the verge of driving a diplomatic wedge between Morocco and Cameroon over postponing the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (CAN), according to sources quoted by Maghreb Intelligence.
The dispute reportedly arose when Samuel Eto’o, the newly elected head of the Cameroonian football federation and organizer of this year’s CAN, got winds that Fouzi Lakjaa and Egyptian Hani Abo Rida were using their close ties to Gianni Infantino, the current FIFA president, to postpone the upcoming CAN.
Lekjaa and Abo Rida are said to have contacted members of the African Football Confederation (CAF) to convince them to vote in favor of postponing the continental football event.
Of the two football administrators, Morocco’s Fouazi Lekjaa allegedly had the most influence in the matter. Eto’o then reportedly contacted the CAF, which has the final say in postponing the football event and thwarted Lakjaa’s actions.
The dispute took a diplomatic turn when Samuel Eto’o contacted Cameroonian authorities and allegedly described Faouzi’s actions as “frankly hostile” coming from Morocco, according to Maghreb Intelligence.
Unofficially, Morocco spared no effort to convey to its African neighbor that Rabat does not oppose the initial time frame set for the CAN.
During a video conference meeting of the CAF exclusive committee on December 19, voices opposing the organization of the event were dwindling.
Morocco and Cameroon enjoy strong diplomatic relations, and the Central African country has long recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara.
The upcoming CAN was initially scheduled to take place in 2021, but it was postponed due to COVID concerns. Despite recent reports about yet another postponement this year, the event will finally take place in the coming weeks, between January 9 and February 6.
It remains to be seen whether and to what extent this incident will affect the strong Morocco-Cameronian diplomatic ties.
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