Cameroon Kit Confusion: Court Rules That Le Coq Sportif Contract is Still Valid
One All Sports have just launched their World Cup 2022 kits for Cameroon, but a Paris court has ruled that their contract with Le Coq Sportif is still valid and must be honoured. So which kits will Cameroon actually wear at the World Cup?
Court Rules in Favour of Le Coq Sportif in Cameroon (FECAFOOT) Case
FECAFOOT president Samuel Eto'o caused a shock earlier this year when he abruptly cancelled Cameroon's kit contract with Le Coq Sportif without consulting the brand first, claiming they weren't respecting contractual obligations. The contract was due to run until December 31 2023. FECAFOOT then signed a deal with One All Sports to produce their World Cup Kits, which were released this morning.
After they'd failed to sort things out with FECAFOOT in the meantime, Le Coq Sportif took legal action. On Thursday the 3rd of November, the following ruling was made in favour of Le Coq Sportif by the Paris court:
"The court has ordered the maintenance of the contractual relationship between Le Coq Sportif International and the Cameroonian Football Federation as per the contract concluded on January 10, 2020, with the contract length to extend until December 31, 2023.”
Abiding by this ruling would of course mean wearing Le Coq Sportif shirts at the World Cup, but Cameroon went ahead with the launch of their new One All Sports shirts today as planned. FIFA had already recognised One All Sports as Cameroon's kit suppliers before the verdict, and FECAFOOT have appealed the court's decision.
Cameroon seem dead set on wearing the kits from their new supplier at the World Cup, but that could get them into more legal trouble, which would likely be costly. The tournament is now less than three weeks away, yet it is less clear than ever how Cameroon will be kitted out for it. 20 years after he was the poster boy for Cameroon's most famous kit controversy, Samuel Eto'o has created another one.
The Indomitable Lions take on Jamaica in a friendly on Wednesday the 9th of November, so it will be very interesting to see whose strips they wear in that game. What do you think of this situation? Comment below?
