Cameroon match fixing claims are far too cheap a publicity stunt

Brasilia: Reacting to my constant outrage on Cameroon in this column, a Cameroonian friend of mine sent me a tweet this week asking me to tone down on his country's poor show at the World Cup.

I was becoming too boring to read any longer, he said, and that considering the criticism is coming from a Kenyan- a country that still dreams of qualifying to the African Cup of Nations as a mega achievement let alone qualifying to the World Cup. Quite humbling there, isn't it?

After almost three hours of twitter brawl we almost became buddies and he drew my attention to reports appearing in a section of European media alleging that there was match fixing involving seven Cameroon players especially in their match against Croatia.

As interesting as it was, I immediately rubbished such claims because they could simply not make sense to me.

I promised to write no more about Cameroon and their disgraceful exit from the World Cup just for the good of our camaraderie.

But going through the tweets I get this one last appetite to mention the Indomitable Lions one more time on this column.

I'm wondering why someone would want to compromise an already dejected squad of Roger Milla's homeland.

This is where I bring in a 2005 controversy. Senator Kiraitu Murungi, serving as Justice Minister then, in condemning foreign governments for putting undue pressure on Kenya to fight graft rubbed Kenyan women the wrong way by saying the foreign pressure was 'like raping a woman who was already too willing'.

The government was already putting in place adequate measure to fight corruption, clarified the good Kiraitu!

Croatia, or whoever is alleged to have had a hand in this match fixing claims, probably had no idea who Cameroon was or had too much money to spare.

That team was in shambles from the word go! Why would someone really want to fix a match against Cameroon?

I find this allegation too farfetched and FECAFOOT- Cameroon's national football federation- should not waste any more money and time trying to put up an inquest into it.

It doesn't just make sense that someone would want to compromise players who had own internal wrangles judging from their body language on and off the pitch.

In this alleged match, Alex Song got his marching orders after clobbering an opponent in an unsporting fashion and the afro-haired Assou Ekoto fought teammate Moukandjo.

Then we are told this match was fixed? Ha!

I'm of the opinion that these allegations are a scheme to detract us from the reprehensible show put forward by the Cameroonians.

This team was simply not ready for the World Cup.

The national federation should not lose focus by looking at outside influence as cover-up. Yes, cover-up! That's the word.

These allegations are mere cover-up.

The federation should get down to real work of restructuring the team for better performance in future. Borrow a leaf from how the French have smarted up from their 2010 disaster and are now in great form.

Then and only then shall we have the real Indomitable Lions. Otherwise better luck next time with these cheap cover-up theatrics!