CAF issued a press release acknowledging that it has received reports concerning allegations of inappropriate conduct associated with Samuel Eto’o, a four-time recipient of the African Footballer of the Year award. These claims were submitted by “stakeholders” within Fecafoot, the football federation of Cameroon.
The continental governing body for football did not disclose specific particulars about the alleged incidents but characterized them as serious in nature. Furthermore, CAF emphasized the principle that Eto’o should be considered innocent unless a legal authority determines otherwise.
The press statement also indicated that CAF will abstain from making additional declarations while the ongoing investigations are in progress and will only communicate updates once the proceedings have been concluded.
Amidst an increasing number of grievances, the investigation stems from allegations that Samuel Eto’o’s leadership in football governance within the country lacks transparency and is tainted by scandals.
🔴🔴 #URGENT #COMEX pic.twitter.com/XVmTtW6aJT
— Fecafoot-Officiel (@FecafootOfficie) August 11, 2023
On July 18th, an audio recording emerged alleging a collaborative involvement in match-fixing between Eto’o and the president of a second-tier club, purportedly aimed at ensuring the club’s advancement to the top-tier championship. Both Eto’o and the club president have contested the authenticity of the audio. In the same month, a coalition of Cameroonian amateur clubs officially filed a complaint against Eto’o.
They presented their allegations to the ethics committees of Fecafoot, CAF, and FIFA, accusing him of participating in match-fixing, grave corruption, manipulation of matches, incitement to hostility and aggression, violations of ethical and physical integrity, and dissemination of false information. Eto’o has also been accused of exerting influence to hinder the international careers of specific national team players, including Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana.
During the Qatar World Cup, Onana was allegedly asked to depart from the Cameroon national team, ostensibly due to his purported disregard for the coach’s directives. However, there is widespread belief that Eto’o played a significant role in engineering the goalkeeper’s expulsion from the team.
Former Fecafoot vice president Henry Njalla Quan, who clashed with Eto’o due to his management style, commented, “The decision to include Onana in the national team rests with the federation president. I formally inquired with Eto’o about André’s future, and his response indicated that his international career had come to an end.”
In a confidential letter dated June 23rd, Quan conveyed his apprehensions to Eto’o. Despite his roles as Fecafoot’s vice president and chair of its marketing commission, Quan disclosed his sense of being inadequately informed about the federation’s financial transactions.
He voiced his dissatisfaction with the lack of transparency in sharing comprehensive information concerning financial and administrative procedures. Quan highlighted his lack of access to details about Fecafoot’s revenue sources and how funds were allocated.
Furthermore, he raised concerns regarding allegations of “overbilling scandals” involving personnel within the federation. Quan found it paradoxical that Fecafoot had accrued debts to multiple service providers who were purportedly inflating their charges.
Quan emphasized the media’s coverage of the federation’s financial obligations arising from the “abusive and unilateral” termination of contracts. He specifically mentioned the instance involving former equipment suppliers, Le Coq Sportif. Quan expressed his frustration, stating, “This is yet another situation where I feel particularly powerless.” This sentiment referred to Eto’o’s commitment to furnish copies of contracts to the vice presidents for assessment before decisions were made.
Eto’o has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, categorizing Quan’s allegations as unfounded. As a result, Eto’o took the step of suspending Quan from his role within Fecafoot’s executive committee.
During his illustrious football career, Eto’o achieved remarkable success. He claimed the prestigious African Player of the Year award on four occasions, clinched three UEFA Champions League titles, and proudly represented Cameroon in 115 international matches, contributing to the team’s triumphs in two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments alongside the Indomitable Lions.
Furthermore, Eto’o holds the notable distinction of being the all-time leading scorer for Cameroon. Nonetheless, in his current role as the overseer of the country’s football administration, Eto’o’s once radiant reputation appears to be diminishing.
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