Marc Brys, the Belgian coach appointed by Cameroon’s Ministry of Sports in 2024, has launched a legal action against the Cameroon Football Federation (Fécafoot) after being barred from coaching the Indomitable Lions at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Brys was prevented from joining the team at the tournament and was temporarily replaced by his assistant, David Pagou, who oversaw the squad during the competition.
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The decision reportedly followed a directive from Fécafoot president Samuel Eto’o, who has consistently opposed Brys’ appointment by the Ministry of Sports.
Reacting to the development, Brys described the situation as “amateur” and “illegal”, accusing football authorities of acting outside the law.
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“I have hired a lawyer. The contract is clear,” Brys told Belgian outlet Sporza, confirming that the dispute has now entered the legal phase.
The Belgian coach said he was completely blindsided by the decision, revealing that just days before the start of AFCON, he was informed that he should not travel to Morocco, without any formal communication from the relevant authorities.
“I was not personally informed by Fécafoot, nor by the ministry. I blame them as well. There was never any communication,” Brys said.
He added that multiple requests for travel arrangements were ignored.
“We asked for our tickets to Morocco, and there was never any response. In the end, someone said they should not give us the tickets because he (Eto’o) had said it was not allowed.”
“We had qualified, and a few days before the final round, there was an act of opportunism. Someone wanted to show that he is the strongest,” he said.
