Cameroon will hold elections after FIFA warning

DOUALA, Cameroon — Cameroon’s sports ministry will allow football elections to go ahead after a warning from FIFA that the government was interfering.

The March 26 decision by sports minister Adoum Garoua to block federation elections could have resulted in Cameroon being suspended from the world football body in the midst of World Cup qualifying.

Garoua backed down and in a fax on Tuesday cleared Cameroon Football Federation president Mohammed Iya to continue with elections next month.

FIFA confirmed it made contact with the federation, Fecafoot, and reportedly gave Cameroon until Tuesday to resolve the matter or face footballing sanctions.

Cameroon, a four-time African champion, failed to qualify for the last two African Cups, and Iya has been regularly criticized in the country for his management of the federation.