Fifa president should be ashamed to be in Cameroon – Le Roy

Former Indomitable Lions head coach Claude Le Roy believes Fifa president Gianni Infantino should be embarrassed to be in Cameroon after purportedly jumping through hoops attempting to have the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) cancelled.

The refusal of some European clubs to release their players on time for Africa’s showpiece also added fuel to the fire regarding the cancellation of Afcon.

In the glittering opening ceremony of Afcon at Olembé Stadium, Yaounde, last Sunday, Infantino was vehemently booed by the 40-000 spectators.

Although he has taken a break from coaching, Le Roy remains passionate about African football. He publicly attacked Infantino for his role in planting doubt in the minds of soccer followers about the Africa Cup of Nations taking place in Cameroon.

“Is he not ashamed to come to Cameroon? He wanted to cancel this Africa Cup of Nations. What is he doing here?” asked Le Roy.

Le Roy led Cameroon to Afcon glory back in 1998 and has also coached several African national teams, including Senegal and Togo, during his mentoring career.

It was not the first time the Fifa president was booed. In July 2019, he was booed at Stade de Lyon in France while on the podium to hand over the Fifa Women’s World Cup trophy to the champions, the United States of America, with chants of equal pay ringing out. The crowd was voicing its displeasure about discriminatory prize money for the Women’s World Cup.

“Once again, Fifa is pathetic. Gianni Infantino, the president of Fifa, makes incomprehensible decisions,” added Le Roy.

“He says he wants to advance African football but does just the opposite.”