Samuel Eto’o, the president of the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot) and former football star, has been handed a six-month ban by FIFA, preventing him from attending any international matches involving Cameroon. The decision came after breaches of FIFA’s disciplinary code during the Under-20 Women’s World Cup match between Cameroon and Brazil, which took place on September 11 in Bogota, Colombia. Brazil won the game 3-1 after extra time.
FIFA cited Eto’o’s involvement in offensive behavior, violations of fair play, and misconduct by officials at the event. As a result, Eto’o is barred from attending matches involving any of Cameroon’s national teams, both men and women, across all age groups. The ban takes effect immediately, though Eto’o has the right to appeal.
This is not the first time Eto’o has faced disciplinary action. In July, he was fined $200,000 by the Confederation of African Football (Caf) for breaching its ethics code. The issue arose from his role as an ambassador for betting company 1XBET, which was seen as a conflict of interest. Despite the fine, Eto’o’s lawyers announced plans to appeal, and Caf found insufficient evidence for additional charges related to match-fixing allegations.
Eto’o, who had a highly successful playing career at clubs like Barcelona and Chelsea, has faced growing controversy since becoming Fecafoot president in 2021. His leadership has drawn criticism, including a call for his resignation from a group representing amateur clubs in Cameroon. They accused him of overseeing “grave irregularities” within the federation. Eto’o has also been involved in disputes with Cameroon’s Ministry of Sport, particularly concerning the appointment of Marc Brys as head coach of the national team.
Despite these challenges, Eto’o recently chaired a meeting to discuss preparations for Cameroon’s upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Kenya in October.
