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Eto’o has been accused of serious accusations of match-fixing, abuse of power, physical threats, inciting violence, and spreading false information during his two-year tenure as the president of Cameroon's football federation (FECAFOOT).
Cameroon football great Samuel Eto'o is in hot soup following the country’s exit from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations against Nigeria as he stands accused of multiple criminal accounts as president of the country’s football federation, Fecafoot.
Despite his illustrious playing career, which included winning numerous accolades such as two Africa Cup of Nations titles , four African Player of the Year awards and two trebles with Barcelona and Inter Milan respectively, Eto'o's administrative role has been marred by legal and ethical issues.
In June 2022, Eto'o received a 22-month suspended prison sentence and a £1.4 million ($1.7 million) fine for tax fraud related to his image rights during his time playing in Spain
Subsequently, in May 2023, he announced his association with gambling company 1XBET, a move that raised ethical concerns given FIFA's prohibition on officials' involvement in betting activities.
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Eto’o has been accused of serious accusations of match-fixing, abuse of power, physical threats, inciting violence, and spreading false information during his two-year tenure as the president of Cameroon's football federation (Fecafoot) according to The Athletic.
Former Fecafoot vice-president Henry Njalla Quan Junior submitted a comprehensive dossier to FIFA's Ethics Committee in July, citing WhatsApp messages, emails, letters, and audio recordings as evidence.
Quan himself was given a 10-year ban from football by Fecafoot and handed a £12,000 fine as Fecafoot accused him of corruption and of trying to influence referees. Quan claims that Eto’o had him indicted after raised “some dysfunctional issues within Fecafoot” which he did not like.
The file was sent to FIFA’s Ethics Committee in July by former Fecafoot vice-president Henry Njalla Quan Junior and is also being investigated by CAF, Africa’s football federation.
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In August, CAF said it was looking into “serious” claims of “improper conduct” made by various Cameroonian football stakeholders against Eto’o.
CAF have told The Athletic that the investigation is still active but — as they made clear in their initial statement — Eto’o is “presumed to be innocent until an appropriate judicial body concludes otherwise”. FIFA declined to comment on whether they have started their own investigation.
The accusations, however, have cast a shadow over Cameroon football, especially with concerns about FIFA's perceived delay in addressing the matter.
One specific claim involves Eto'o allegedly arranging for the fixing of a key double-legged Third tier encounter between Njalla Quan Sports Academy (NQSA) and Kumba City FC.
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The accusations suggest Eto'o made direct orders to referees at half-time to make decisions in favor of Kumba City FC and it resulted in NQSA receiving multiple red cards. Kumba won 3-1 on aggregate.
The call was allegedly made by by Valentine Nkwain, a close associate of Eto’o. There is video evidence of Nkwain sat on the pitch next to the match delegate during the game.
However, Nkwain strongly denies that any such call occurred or that he was present in the referee’s room
There is also another allegation against Eto'o assuring Nkwain, who happens to be Victoria United owner of assistance in securing promotion to the top division.
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Victoria United — as Eto’o appears to have promised in the recording — were promoted to the first division after going on to win 11 of their last 17 matches after losing four of their first seven.
Last year, Eto’o denied any ulterior motive in an interview with Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I was talking to a friend, someone who invests in football and wants to make his club one of the best in Cameroon. I just reassured him by saying that I would have done everything possible to avoid any refereeing errors against him,” he said.
The accusations are further fuelled by the surprise call-up of Wilfried Nathan Doualla, a 17-year-old player from Victoria United to Cameroon's AFCON squad.
The unfolding scandal has triggered calls for swift action from FIFA, with concerns raised about a potential two-tier approach to management and the perceived lack of urgency in addressing issues in African football governance.
The outcome of the investigations will likely have significant repercussions for Eto'o and the reputation of Cameroon football on the international stage.
Follow our Pulse Sports WhatsApp channel for more updates.
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