Conflict Sparks Off Between Gov’t And Football Federation Of CAR, Over Appointment Of Rigobert Song Bahanag And Assistants

This is not the first time that the Football Federation in CAR, has protested against the appointment of Cameroonian born coach

A conflict has sparked off between the Government and the football federation in neighbouring Central African Republic, CAR, over the appointment by  the Government of Cameroonian born  football coach,  Rigobert SONG BAHANAG (former professional football player), as head coach of  the  senior male national football team  of CAR, together with three assistants. The three assistants are: Eloge YAMISSI ENZA, Sebastien NGATO, and Eric CABALERO.  The appointments were done by an Arête (ministerial order) signed  in CAR”s capital, Bangui on Monday, January 13, 2025, by the CAR’s Minister in charge of the Promotion of Youths, Sports and Physical Education, Rodolphe Heritier Bonheur DONENG WANZOUMON.

It should be noted that Song Bahanag is a former head coach of the senior male national football team of Cameroon (Indomitable Lions), though he was officially known as ‘Selectionneur / Manager’, whatever that means! He has also been appointed in CAR as ‘Selectionneur / Manager’ .As for the first assistant coach, Eloge Yammissi Enza, he was before the January 13, 2025 appointment the Interim Coach of the senior national football team of Central African Republic, known as ‘FAUVES”. Enza was appointed Interim Coach of the national team, after the technical team that was headed by Swiss born Raoul SAVOY, left last year. As for the second assistant coach, Sebastien NGATO, football fans in Cameroon remember him as the head coach of the CAR national team (of local players) which last  last month, eliminated Cameroon in a decisive match that was played in Bafoussam, Cameroon, to quality for the 2025 CHAN. It was a historic victory as well as qualification for the Central African Republic.

Mission Assigned To Song Bahanag

Meanwhile after the official appointment of Rigobert Song Bahanag on January 13, 2025, pictures appeared on the social media later that day, showing Song being received by the President of the Central African Republic, Prof Faustin ARCHANGE TOUADERA. In his recruitment by the Government of CAR as head coach of the national team A, Song Bahanag was given  the difficult mission to qualify the country for AFCON (not precise), and the next World Cup. A herculean task, considering that the  Central African Republic is one of  the few countries in Africa that has never qualified for African Cup of Nations, AFCON, not to talk of  the Word Cup.

That, aside, it would as well be recalled that Song Bahanag was officially appointed as ‘Selectionneur / Manager’ of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon on February 28, 2022, for a two year contract, renewable. But the contract that expired on February 28, 2024 was not renewed, because of the poor performance of the national team under him, especially at the last African Cup of Nations, AFCON 2024, that Ivory Coast hosted in the month of January and February, 2024.. So Song Bahanag’s fans in Cameroon celebrated, when news floated on January 13, 2025 that he had been appointed as the Head Coach of the national team of CAR, even if the country is certainly not in the list of football power houses in Africa.

Football Federation Protests Against Appointments

But the celebration by Song Bahang’s supporters for his new appointment was cut short the very next day, that is on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, when ‘FEDERATION CENTRAFRICAINE DE FOOTBALL, FCF, that is, the Central African Football Federation, issued a communiqué in which the Federation strongly protested against the January 13, 2025 appointments of the new head coach and assistants of the senior national football team.  The Federation said it was neither associated nor consulted in the appointments, and insisted that it is the Federation that has the right to appoint the technical staff of the national team.  This is similar to the MINSEP – FECAFOOT Crisis in Cameroon last year.

BELOW IS THE APPROXIMATE TRANSLATION BY THE MENTOR OF THE COMMUNIQUE THAT WAS ISSUED BY THE FOOTBALL FEDERATION OF THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC:

                              “CENTRAL AFRICAN FOOTBALL FEDERATION 

                                     Press Communiqué No. 001/ 2025

The Central African Football Federation has learnt with consternation and surprise through the social media, arête No. 002 / MP/ SEC / DIR – CAB 2025, of 13 January 2025 on the appointment of coaches of National Team A.

The Executive Committee, of the Central African Football Federation, which met in an extraordinary session on 14 January 2025, informs national and international opinions that it was neither associated nor consulted in taking this decision.

Consequently, it declares  that it does not recognize this  unilateral decision which is contrary to dispositions in force, which states that – ‘The decisions concerning the recruitment of members of the technical staff  (technical structures) of the national team, must remain among  the rights and competence reserve uniquely to the Executive Committee of the Federations’.

The Central African Football Federation had earlier, decided to nationalized the post of Selectionneur’ (Head Coach), of FAUVES A. It is for this reason that the post of interim coach was given to a technical staff entirely Central Africans, and  headed by Eloge ENZA YAMISSI, former Captain of FAUVES A.

Following the qualification of the Central African Republic for the African National Championship (CHAN), and at the moment that the President of  the Republic, Head of State, Professor Faustin ARCHANGE TOUADERA, is multiplying efforts to consolidate peace between daughters and sons of the country, the  Central African Football Federation that supports this vision, want to avoid all actions meant to create an unnecessary crisis between the Ministry in charge of Sports and the organ in charge of the management of Central African Football.

                                    Done in Bangui, 14 January 2025

                                    Assistant Secretary General

                                    Sylvestre Cyrille QUILIBOZOUMNA”

FIFA Text Does Not Say That It Is The State, To Pay Coaches That A Federation Recruits

Meanwhile it is curious that after the extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee of the FCF mentioned in the Federation’ press release, the President as well as the Secretary General of  the Federation, pushed the responsibility to sign  such an important communiqué, to the Assistant Secretary General.

The one problem about the FIFA text that many Football Federations in Africa, always try to use to  justify their rights to appoint members of the technical teams of  their national football teams, is that the FIFA text does not say that when a Federation appoints coaches and other technical staff, it is the State that would pay  them. A Federation in principles are the one supposed to pay the members of the technical team it recruits.

But then the Federation would complain of financial handicap, and depend on the State or Government to pay the technical staff of the national team. But  at the same time, the Federation would not want the Government to be involved in the appointment of the members of  the technical staff. And that is where the problem always comes.

Not The First Time That FCF Has Contested Appointment of Coaches by Gov’t

Meanwhile it is not clear how far the Central African Football Federation will be prepared to go to fight against the appointments of Coach Song Bahanag and his assistants by the Government of that country. So for now it is difficult to say whether the appointment of January 13, 2025 of Song Bahanag and his assistants, will be maintained.

It should also be noted that Song Bahanag’s case, is not the first time that the FCF has protested or contested the appointments of coaches of the national team A by the Government. As regards Cameroonians, in 2008, football legend and coach, Francois OMAM BIYICK, was appointed head coach of the national team of CAR, His assistants were also appointment. Omam was received by the Prime Minister of CAR. But the then President of the Central African Football Federation, Patrice Edouard NGAISSONA, bluntly refused to sign the contract. The Government of CAR did not want to get i into a fight with Ngaissona, who was an ex rebel leader, that had been convinced to lay down his arms and return to normal life. There were fears that Ngaissona could run back to the bush, in case he faced harassment by Government. So the contract with Omam Biyick was annulled.

Worthy of note that the then President of FCF, Patrice Edouard Ngaissona ,was arrested in Paris, France during a visit, on charges of crimes against humanity, that  were allegedly committed when he was a rebel leader in CAR. He was transferred to the Haye, and is still in detention.

But it should be noted that before Omam Biyick’s case in 2008 in the Central African Republic, another Cameroonian, Jean Paul AKONO, former player as well as coach of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, was in 2002 appointed the head coach of the national team of CAR, even if the appointment lasted only for one year.  There is another Cameroonian, Hans AGBOR, a former Lion. He was a member of the technical team headed by the Swiss born coach, Raoul Savoy, that left the national team of CAR last year.