Two years to the Olympics, in Beijing, Cameroon wrestlers have already started warming up for the Games. After a two-week training programme for referees, coaches and athletes, some nine athletes (five men and four ladies) were selected to begin training in Senegal and Tunisia as from March 2006 in preparation for the Beijing Games. The ladies will train in Tunis, Tunisia, while the men will train in Dakar, Senegal. 10 other athletes were equally selected to train in Cameroon ahead of the 2012 Games. The course in Yaounde was in line with the policy of the International Wrestling Federation (FILA) to help in the development of wrestling in African countries. It was run by an Expert from FILA, Isaac Mpia. Emphasis during the training was on the techniques of wrestling and refereeing. According to Mpia, Cameroonian athletes have potentials, but need better trained-trained coaches.
The training programme came under the heels of the 2005 edition of the national championship and Cup of Cameroon for wrestling. Some 50 athletes from seven provinces took part in the competition. The athletes competed in three different domains of wrestling: Freestyle, traditional and feminine wrestling.
In the ladies competition Samouraï of Yaounde emerged winners. Commonwealth champion, Ali Anabel of Nambu wrestling club in Yaounde was champion in the 72kg weight division. In the men's traditional wrestling competition, five provinces were represented. The most awaited fight was that between Funke of Samouraï against Beti Beti of B&A in the 96kg weight division. Funke overpowered Beti Beti to become the new champion of Cameroon. In the general classification B&A wrestling club of Yaounde finished first followed by the West Province and Samouraï Yaounde. In the ladies classification, Samouraï were first followed by B&A Yaounde and Nambu Yaounde.
The Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Philippe Mbarga Mboa, congratulated the officials of FECALUTTES for their efforts in developing the sport in the country. The Minister gave the sum CFA one million to the wrestling federation as government's encouragement in the development of sport.
According to the President of FECALUTTES, François Xavier Darwe, the season has been good. He said the gold medal won in the Commonwealth competition is a great achievement for the federation.
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Fecalutte Joins the Bandwagon
Cameroon Tribune (Yaoundé)
December 21, 2004
Posted to the web December 21, 2004
Elizabeth Mosima
Three candidates are contesting for the post of president at the helm of the federation.
The National Wrestling Federation, (FECALUTTE) will elect its executive bureau today. After the Cameroon Federation of Sports For All, FECAVOLLEY, FECACATCH and the Table Tennis Federation (FECALUTTE), will hold its general assembly in Yaounde as from 9:00am. A new bureau to pilot the affairs of the federation is expected to be elected during the general assembly. This falls in line with the instructions of the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, requesting the different sports federations in the country to organise their elections before the end of the month.
Today's general assembly brings to five the number of general assemblies already held.Three candidates are vying for the post of President of FECALUTTE. They are incumbent president, François Xavier Darwe, André Marie Nang a military officer, and Emmanuel Akoa a businessman. The outgoing candidate and his team have been at the helm of the federation since 2000.
During the past four years, the existing bureau has been engaged in training and encouraging the youths and also organising training workshops for coaches and officials. Provincial leagues for wrestling have been created in the 10 provinces of the country.
At the national level, the Cup of Cameroon competition was organised as well as the national championships. According to François Xavier Darwe, the federation has worked in conformity with the International Wrestling Federation (FILA) for the past four years. Cameroon participated in three major international events notably the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002. Two athletes participated for the first time at the African Championship in May 2003 in Cairo where five wrestlers represented the country, and the eighth All Africa Games in Abuja, Nigeria, in October 2003.
Four athletes two men and two ladies took part in the competition. Cameroon won bronze in the ladies category through Mwambo Rebecca Ndolo. It was the first medal to be won in that category. It was equally the first time the ladies participated in an international competition. According to the incumbent president, if he is re-elected, he will continue to train Cameroonian youth.
