To Be or Not to Be a Lesbian: The Dilemma of Cameroon's Women Soccer Players

By Sybille Ngo Nyeck

The Women’s World Cup soccer tournament ended earlier this month with a 2-1 victory by Germany over Sweden. The African teams that participated in this final round of the World Cup were Ghana and Nigeria, both of which finished in last place in their respective groups. The big surprise of the qualifying stages in Africa for this World Cup was the absence of Cameroon, which was defeated by Nigeria in the semifinals of the women’s African Cup of Nations.

Cameroon is a leading soccer nation in Africa. It is a national passion and the men’s national team has performed well in the international arena. However, it has not yet succeeded in building a top women’s soccer team at the international level. The following dialogue helps us to understand why this has not been the case.

The interviewee required anonymity. She shall be referred to as "Hoka H.":

Sybille Ngo Nyeck: Hoka H., what kind of experience do you have with women’s soccer in Cameroon?

Hoka H.: I spent about 15 years as a Cameroonian soccer player. I was among the best during my career.

S. N. Nyeck: Why was your country absent from World Cup 2003?

Hoka H.: We took third place at the African Cup of Nations games. Only the first- and the second-place finishers qualified for the World Cup finals.

S. N. Nyeck: Did you think your country had a chance to go further? If so, why don’t Cameroonian women do as well as the men at the international level?

Hoka H.: Firstly, I believe that we need our national championship to be better organized. Secondly, the national team needs more time to prepare. I want to point out that Cameroon has no soccer-training center for women. If we look carefully how things evolve, I would say this kind of project has not yet been even conceived. However, Cameroon has talented women players just like men — to come in third place is not bad. But I would also denounce those nations that host tournaments which try to make sure by any means, sometimes unorthodox, that they remain leaders in Africa.

S. N. Nyeck: What do you mean by "unorthodox"?

Hoka H.: When I say "unorthodox," I think of how opposing teams are treated. For instance, the nutrition of women players is not always controlled. At a technical level, the referees are chosen in a way that may influence the results of matches. Sometimes, teams are given accommodations a long distance away from the stadiums.

S. N. Nyeck: Could you tell us how local clubs select female players? How are contracts determined and what do they say?

Hoka H.: The recruitment of girls is done by women players. This means if in my neighborhood I meet a girl who is interested in soccer, I may introduce her to a club and to the championship league. The trainers [managers/coaches] reach out the same way. They sometimes go to schools, and, with the help of gym teachers, select their "product." Sometimes women just come to the clubs and offer their services. We have no standard method of recruitment here.

The contracts are small because clubs have meager income. Women who do receive some money are usually paid between 20.000 cfa and 100.000 cfa (Cameroon francs). They are given stipends (between 300 and 300cfa) for each training session, just enough to pay for their transportation. Each signature binds a player for two years to her club. The contracts do not specify that she gives an account of her private life.

In Cameroon, to be suspected of being a lesbian is enough to have your place within the national team withdrawn… We wonder whether living a homosexual life has any effect on athletic performance.

S. N. Nyeck: What about the selections to the national team?

Hoka H.: At the national level, there is a pre-selection process during the championship… But things are not always easy because there is a category of girls who, sadly, have been the victims of blackmail. In Cameroon, to be suspected of being a lesbian is enough to have your place within the national team withdrawn — this is not only true for the national team, but also at the club level, as lesbians are threatened. We wonder whether living a homosexual life has any effect on athletic performance.

S. N. Nyeck: Are there lesbian women athletes, and if so has this created a stereotype?

Hoka H.: Lesbians are everywhere in Cameroon. There is no specific place for them in society. They are in all social classes and professions: business, trade, politics, sports, and schools — in sum, everywhere. People just live their lives and feel good about who they are. They are not visibly activists because our society is far from accepting homosexuals.

S. N. Nyeck: How do you think discrimination against suspected lesbians impacts their performance at the local and international levels?

Hoka H.: Without hesitation I say that suspected or real lesbians are victims of all sorts of discrimination. The [male soccer] club leaders had even decided to kick them out of the clubs or, by all means, "change" them. Women themselves do not complain about female homosexuality.

It is not rare to see managers of clubs sexually harass women. Sleeping with a manager or publicly hooking up with a man is the way for women to avoid being victim of blackmail linked to homosexuality. I believe discriminatory policies make us lose many talented players.

There are frequent cases of violence. I would offer as an example the case of the rape of two women soccer players at Mfandena in Yaoundé. I didn’t see any club president moved [to response] by this drama. Even the managers of the clubs where they were affiliated didn’t react. Neighbors didn’t raise a single hand (I wonder if it was planned). It is not rare to see managers of clubs sexually harass women. Sleeping with a manager or publicly hooking up with a man is the way for women to avoid being victim of blackmail linked to homosexuality. I believe discriminatory policies make us lose many talented players. Some women are abused by either their managers or club members, and when they find themselves pregnant, the same managers them to have illegal abortions for fear of losing the players.

Also, spies will follow girls: after matches; during the training; in night clubs; in school — in sum, everywhere. Some men are sent to date girls, and when it doesn’t work, they threaten the women. These threats sometimes reach relatives too, and family life becomes unbearable.

S. N. Nyeck: To whom do women complain when they are mistreated?

Hoka H.: They cannot complain about homosexuality because our legislation criminalizes it. Regarding the abuse of authority and sexual abuse, there is no structure to prevent women soccer players from the arbitrary force of their managers. It also takes a lot of courage, and this is what women players lack in their relationships with managers.

In December 2002, women players denounced for the first time the sexual harassment, violence, discrimination, and public insults by their managers on Radio Siantou. [Recalling this] reminds me that when girls are not accused of being lesbians, they are insulted as being old. This is how the national coach publicly referred to his players after they were defeated in their attempt to get to the World Cup.

S. N. Nyeck: You identified women soccer players as "products." What did you mean?

Hoka H.: I used the word "product" because this is a frequent word used by managers to refer to women players. Also because some women playing soccer are, in my view, a reflection of those in power who want to make sure that women in sports largely dominated by men do not reflect men. The [belief in] "feminine soccer" treats women as girls who should not expose their legs — they believe this encourages rape. Those who persist [in showing their legs] are suspected of being abnormal. For me, one just needs to have a gift to play this sport, and, of course, this has to be supported by good coaching. In Nigeria they talk about "women’s soccer," but here, to the contrary, they insist on calling it "feminine soccer."

Here women who love women don’t call themselves lesbians. They invent themselves by drawing from native languages words that empower them: for instance, the word mvoye, which simply means in a local language, "to be good."

S. N. Nyeck: In this environment — oppressive toward women in general, and against lesbians in particular — how can women soccer players who love other women survive?

Hoka H.: They simply invent themselves. Each person creates her own story. Here women who love women don’t call themselves lesbians. They invent themselves by drawing from native languages words that empower them: for instance, the word mvoye, which simply means in a local language, "to be good." Good in one’s mind and spirit. Good in one’s choices. These words evolve and are transmitted from generation to generation.

S. N. Nyeck: After your national team was defeated at the African Cup of Nations, the newspaper Le Messager published an article on women’s soccer (Sept. 11, 2002). The following comments were made concerning women and homosexuality: "For the past couple years, this ugly behavior has defiled women’s soccer in Cameroon… The biggest plague in women’s soccer is without a doubt homosexuality." What is your reaction to these allegations?

Hoka H.: My opinion is that it is unsuitable to call homosexuality an "ugly behavior." One day, I had a conversation with somebody whose attitude surprised me. He said, "I hope that you are not part of what I heard [exists] within soccer." I questioned him about that invisible but outspoken thing he was afraid to mention. He responded, "It seems like all girls in soccer are lesbians." I have to insist that we do play soccer with our feet, not with our sex!

S. N. Nyeck: The same article accused lesbians soccer players of being sex traffickers who "place" their fellow players with wealthy women, and of being rapists who take advantage of the heterosexual players. Are either of these accusations true?

Hoka H.: I’m not aware of prostitution between women. People always want to discredit homosexuals. In our society, homosexuality is not appreciated and that leaves open ground for speculation. It is also true that newspapers facing a financial crisis will write anything on that subject to sell their papers.

To see women as rapists is to victimize them… This blackmail is orchestrated by the managers and their supporters. They are afraid homosexuals will contaminate others. Lesbians here cannot rape heterosexuals because they are not in power.

And again, to see women as rapists is to victimize them. It is inaccurate to say that lesbians marginalize heterosexuals; I believe solidarity is what makes a team strong. Heterosexual women have no problem playing with lesbians. This blackmail is orchestrated by the managers and their supporters. They are afraid homosexuals will contaminate others. Lesbians here cannot rape heterosexuals because they are not in power. I’ve never heard of such behavior.

S. N. Nyeck: The newspaper reported a club chairperson who said they "they sanction every time that it is proven." What are these sanctions?

Hoka H.: It is a very delicate situation because some managers take advantage of their power to abuse girls. Generally they threaten to disclose her personal life to her family because homosexuality is not recognized. That will create a scandal, and usually the girl will be kicked out of the family house or abandoned without any other source of income. Some managers consciously request sexual gratification from women to keep their homosexual lives secret.

S. N. Nyeck: Hoka H., are you a lesbian?

Hoka H.: I’m good.

S. N. Nyeck: Thanks for your openness.

Hoka H.: Thanks to you too.

Sybille Ngo Nyeck is a regular contributor to A Globe of Witnesses. Her monthly column is Colors of Conscience. Sybille can be emailed at sybeck77@yahoo.fr