“Priority Is To Restore A Competent Federation”

No elected executive bureau, no championships, no Cameroon Cup, and other events for a while now, yet the national boxing team continues to succeed. What is the secret?
I would start by saying that boxing in Cameroon is generally struggling because, we currently lack a bureau at the helm of the federation to organize and manage activities effectively. While there is a provisional management committee, they do their best, but are limited by insufficient resources. Regarding the national team, which I oversee, I am very grateful to the Minister of Sports. He has consistently supported boxing and ensured we do not falter. As head coach, I approach my role like coaching a club team: I regularly gather the athletes at least three times a week for training. The provisional committee frequently authorizes external training camps. Boxers from across the country come together for these sessions. Additionally, boxing champions occasionally arrange sparring sessions, allowing our boxers to test themselves in competition. This year in particular, the Minister acknowledged the shortage of competitions and enabled us to participate in an international tournament in Chechen Republic to prepare for upcoming African competitions.

What do you regret the most as far as the current situation is concerned?  
There are always some regrets because, things are not functioning as they once did. If I were only a coach who waited for competitions to begin before acting, we would never achieve tangible results. The Minister’s continued confidence in boxing stems from our past achievements. We have gotten medals in almost all prestigious international competitions. I regret the fact that we could not qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games due to ongoing difficulties. The Minister is now focused on ensuring our presence at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

What according to you is the magic wand to come out of this complicated situation?
To achieve elite performance and win medals, both the federation’s administration and the national technical direction must be strong. By administration, I mean the federation’s executive bure...