Of the 120 people scheduled to board the South African Airways plane this Sunday morning to Durban, only 70 got a seat. Others were simply asked to go home.

After the draw (2-2) yesterday in Limbe, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, and the Bafana Bafana of South Africa are to play on Tuesday in Durban on behalf of the 4th day of qualifiers for the AFCON 2017.

And the Cameroonian delegation had to leave Douala on Sunday morning at 10 am on a commercial flight with the South African Airways. A strong delegation of about 120 people. And as usual, the trip was given to André Nguidjol Nlend, the general coordinator of the Indomitable Lions.

And thus this Sunday morning, the players of the national team and their supervisors, members of the FECAFOOT, special guests of the Minister, personalities and also about 25 journalists were there at 7:30 am for the various formalities relating to the trip.

Although none of the 120 people had their boarding pass, no one suspected what was going to happen.

Indeed, at the time to start boarding the plane, members of the delegation learned that there were only 70 seats reserved and confirmed by the person in charge of the case. So, besides around 40 seats for the Lions and their various supervisors, there were only 30 seats for about 80 people left.

And when we put aside the MINSEP and its delegation, as well as the delegation of the Executive Committee of the FECAFOOT, there were around a dozen seats available on the aircraft.

It was, therefore, necessary to make the selection of lucky winners who will travel. The wives or spouses of Tombi A Roko, Batamak Pierre, Saint-Fabien Mvogo, the magistrate Nsangou and Blaise Moussa took place in the aircraft.

The latter, Secretary General of the FECAFOOT, even paid the luxury of boarding his bodyguard and his two sister-in-laws. Other wives of members of the delegation, fifteen others did not find a place on the plane.

The list of journalists also suffered problems. For some, because of their position (Bouba Ngomena, special guest of MINSEP) or their degree of nuisance (Soleil Leka, investigator) or the reputation of their employer (Cameroon Tribune) were boarded, others were asked to stay.

So, colleagues like Philippe Boney (Afrik2, who agreed to give up his seat to someone else), Christian Tchapmi (Le Messenger), Arthur Wandji (La Nouvelle Expression), Joseph Valery Fotso (Radio Siantou), Jacques Marcel Itiga (Synafoc) and 5 CRTV journalists (including Simon Lyonga who also agreed to give his seat and especially Raphael Nkoa that was not taken), among others, were left.

But before the plane finally took off, the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Pierre Ishmael Bidoung Mkpatt, decided to say the back of his mind to the general coordinator of the Indomitable Lions of whom he was personally involved in the appointment to this post.

“Mr. Nguidjol I must say I’m disappointed. We did not need this unfortunate incident at the moment, with the poisonous atmosphere that surrounds our football. Know that you did not give us a great service. It’s terrible, “said the MINSEP to Mr. Nguidjol, without bothering to even call him aside and talk to him privately.

Besides shame he took from the MINSEP, Nguidjol André was banned from leaving the country (passport was withdrawn) and had to stay back too.

The incident at the Douala International Airport on Sunday morning made people to ask the question of the competence of persons named in the entourage of the Indomitable Lions.