The Cameroon Volleyball Federation (FECAVOLLEY) finds itself caught between competing pressures following an extraordinary board meeting on Tuesday that could determine the future of the nation’s volleyball programme.
Meeting at the federation’s headquarters in the Dragages neighbourhood of Yaoundé on 20th January, board members grappled with an ultimatum from the African Volleyball Confederation (CAVB) requiring elections to be held by 15th February – or face exclusion from continental competitions.
Speaking to journalists after the session, Félix Gomchi, president of the Centre Regional League, painted a picture of an organisation navigating treacherous waters. “We’ve been given a rather tight deadline by the CAVB,” he explained. “If we don’t organise elections by the 15th of February at the latest, we’ll be in serious trouble regarding all CAVB-organised activities, and our teams won’t be able to compete in this year’s competitions.”
The stakes are particularly high for a crucial 2026 season ahead that will see Cameroon take part in several continental show in the likes of the Women’s African Nations Volleyball Championship – Nairobi, Kenya 23rd August to 5th September 2026 and the Men’s African Nations Volleyball Championship – Kinsasha, Congo RDC 7th to 21st September 2026.
The board, including members who joined via video conference, worked through what Gomchi described as intensive deliberations before resolving to launch elections at departmental, regional, and national levels. Yet the path forward is far from straightforward.
The federation must still secure approval from Cameroon’s sports ministry – a prospect Gomchi acknowledged won’t be easy. “We’re going to have to pull out all the stops to get the ministry’s backing,” he said candidly.
This isn’t the first time FECAVOLLEY has sought to hold elections. In 2024, with mandates expired following the Olympics, the federation requested ministerial authorization to proceed. The response? Wait for a broader nationwide movement of sports elections to be launched.
“We waited as long as we possibly could,” Gomchi recalled, “until this letter from the CAVB arrived and really put the pressure on us.”
Now the federation faces what Gomchi characterised as being caught between hammer and anvil – the ministry urging patience whilst the continental body demands immediate action.
The CAVB’s impatience stems from precedent. Having previously allowed extended mandates, the confederation watched as what should have been temporary arrangements stretched to a decade. “They’ve told us they think if they let us continue, we risk going to twenty years,” Gomchi explained. “That’s why they’re insisting we do this now.”
With the CAVB offering assistance to oversee the electoral process, FECAVOLLEY has accepted the support. The federation now plans to approach the ministry with what Gomchi hopes will be a compelling case for flexibility.
“We’re going to go to the ministry and lay our cards on the table,” he said. “We’re stuck. Please grant us some leeway on this request we’ve been making since 2024, so that things can be done properly.”
For Cameroon’s volleyball community, the coming weeks will prove decisive.
