Players of Victoria United alias Opopo have resumed training ahead of the resumption of the Elite One championship. The Limbe-based club is scheduled to confront Avion Academy of the Nkam in a day six fixture.
Just over a week ago, the club’s participation in the championship was put to doubt when its president, Nkwain Valentine threatened to withdraw the team from the ongoing championship. Last October 21st, Victoria United players did not show up at the Centunary Stadium in Limbe, and president Nkwain refused to give the reasons for the boycott.
But sources close to club president hinted that the match boycott heralded the end of the season for Opopo.
Meantime, some sources indicate that the decision to return to the championship was masterminded by the President of the Cameroon Football federation, Samuel Eto’o.
On Tuesday October 31st in Buea in the South West region, Governor Okalia Bilai summoned football stakeholders in the region to a meeting intended to seek the return of Victoria United as well as the Njalla Quan Sports Academy to the championships. The session apparently paid off.
Meantime, article 17 of the Regulations for the Elite One professional championship for the 2023-2024 season stipulates, all clubs involved in Elite One championship must undertake to “participate in all matches of the Cameroonian championship and cup for which they are scheduled” and in the same vein, Article 28 indicates that a match lost by forfeiture is deemed to be lost by three goals to zero.
It should be noted, the sixth day of the Elite One championship begins on November 5. Victoria United have so far only won one match against Fauve Azur and that was on the first day of the championship.
FRU William
