Last updated on .From the section Football

German-born Joel Matip (right) has not featured for Cameroon since the 2014 World Cup

Liverpool's Joel Matip is one of seven Cameroon players who have said they do not want to go to the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on 14 January.

The defender cited a "bad experience" with the previous coaching staff, according to a Cameroon football association (Fecafoot) statement.

quote The federation reserves the right to take action against the players Cameroon statement

West Brom full-back Allan Nyom is also among the seven.

Fecafoot can ask Fifa to suspend the players at club level for the duration of the three-week tournament.

Cameroon coach Hugo Broos said: "These players have put personal interest above those of the national team and the federation reserves the right to take action against the players in accordance with Fifa regulations."

Centre-back Matip, 25, joined Liverpool on a free transfer in the summer having previously been at Bundesliga club Schalke. He has made 14 appearances for the Reds this season.

Nyom, who told Broos he wanted to stay at West Brom to keep his place in the team, joined the Baggies from Watford in the last transfer window. The 28-year-old has also made 14 appearances for the club so far.

The other five Cameroon players are Andre Onana (Ajax Amsterdam), Guy N'dy Assembe (Nancy), Maxime Poundje (Girondins Bordeaux), Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Olympique Marseille) and Ibrahim Amadou (Lille).

All seven had earlier this month been named in a preliminary list of 35 for the tournament - the final 23-man squad will be named next week.

Cameroon are drawn in Group A with the hosts Gabon, Burkina Faso and Guinea Bissau.