Samuel Eto’o, the president of the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot), is set to answer for his actions.
He is expected in Cairo, Egypt, at the headquarters of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in the coming hours regarding an investigation that has been ongoing for nearly a year.
The former striker will have to justify himself against accusations of favoritism and match-fixing. It’s alleged that he aided Victoria United in promoting to the top division (Elite One) in 2022-2023. An audio recording, where he appears to negotiate an agreement with Valentin Nkwain, the club’s president, leaked and caused a stir on social media.
With the trial set to begin on Tuesday, Eto’o, who was already questioned in April, faces potential suspension from his duties, according to reports. Céline Eko, the first vice-president of Fecafoot, is reportedly prepared to assume interim leadership if Eto’o is suspended.
This week is crucial for Cameroonian football. According to Camfoot, many Cameroonian clubs feel aggrieved as they did not align with Eto’o’s ideas. Clubs like Etoile Filante de Garoua, UMS de Loum, Njalla Quan Academy, Unisport de Bafang, Union d’Abong-Bang, Bamboutos de Mbouda, and Kadji Sport Academy, among others, hope for Eto’o’s downfall.
The Barcelona legend also faces scrutiny over an alleged conflict of interest involving his contract with the sports betting company 1xbet, prompting him to remove related posts from social media. He may consider appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to counterattack. The pressure mounts on the former goal-scoring ace.
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