Women’s World Cup: Cameroon face inquiry after VAR protests ‘reflected badly’ on African football

Chair of Caf’s women’s football committee promises investigation

The head of African women's football has said that Cameroon’s conduct during their Women’s World Cup last-16 tie with England will be investigated.

Isha Johansen, a member of the Confederation of African Football's executive committee, has claimed that Cameroon’s behaviour in Valenciennes “reflected badly” on the continent.

Cameroon’s players reacted with anger to two VAR decisions in their 3-0 defeat in Valenciennes on Sunday, delaying the restart of play on both occasions.

Alain Djeumfa, their head coach, denied that his side had ever decided to stop playing, though admitted he came close to ordering them off the pitch himself.

Djeumfa labelled the decisions to award England’s second goal and disallow a strike by Cameroon’s Ajara Nchout as a “miscarriage of justice”.

Fifa are yet to confirm whether they will investigate Cameroon’s conduct, though world football’s governing body said on Monday that it is looking into the matter.

Johansen, meanwhile, said that Cameroon will face scrutiny, potentially from the African football authority.

As Sunday’s game was organised by Fifa, Caf’s remit to investigate and sanction Cameroon alone is unclear, but Johansen said the matter would be looked into.

“Whilst remaining proud of our African teams that participated in the Fifa Women’s World Cup, yesterday’s match between England and Cameroon reflected badly, not only on African women’s football but African football on the whole,” she said.

“It is an issue which will be addressed and dealt with at the appropriate levels of governance,” she added.