On Monday, Samuel Eto’o submitted his resignation as president of the Cameroon Football Federation; however, the organization’s executive committee rejected his resignation.
Accusations of unethical behaviour, match-fixing, and corruption have plagued four times African Player of the Year, Eto’o.
Monday in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, the executive committee of the national team evaluated the team’s performance at the Africa Cup of Nations, according to the federation. The meeting commenced with Eto’o proposing to resign and inviting the other members “to do the same in good faith.”
“At the end of discussions and subsequent deliberations, the members of the executive committee decided to maintain their current mandates and thus unanimously rejected the president’s resignation, thereby renewing their confidence in him to continue with the same spirit of reconstruction and development of Cameroon football at all levels as envisaged in his plan adopted by the elective general assembly of Dec. 11, 2021,” the federation stated in a statement, referring to the day Eto’o assumed office as president.
The federation refrained from disclosing any additional decisions or conclusions reached in the statement. The destiny of Cameroon coach Rigobert Song was indeterminate after a lacklustre campaign in the Africa Cup.
Five-time champion Cameroon needed a late goal to advance to the round of 16 in its final group match; however, it was eliminated in the round of 16 by Nigeria following a lacklustre performance.
Eto’o, who joined the team to celebrate their thrilling group-final victory over Gambia, has been plagued by corruption allegations for the past year.
The Athletic reported last week that it had obtained audio recordings, emails, letters, and WhatsApp messages purportedly supporting a variety of allegations, including “misdirection, power abuse, physical intimidation, incitement to violence, and dissemination of false information in Cameroon.” It was stated that a file had been forwarded to FIFA’s ethics committee and that the Confederation of African Football was investigating.
One of the finest African players of all time, Samuel Eto’o, has resigned as president of the Cameroon Football Federation following the country’s elimination in the round of 16 of the 2023 AFCON.
“Several Cameroonian football stakeholders” had already made “serious” allegations against Eto’o, according to the CAF, which was already investigating the matter. According to the document, the former Barcelona and Inter Milan star is presumed innocent until a proper judicial authority renders a different verdict.
Eto’o’s ambassadorial obligations on behalf of a sports wagering corporation prompted inquiries in Cameroon. The transaction, which potentially contravened the regulations of the Cameroonian Federation, produced a complaint from at least one club.
Soccer in Cameroon has had its share of difficulties in the past. The national league had been marred by government interference, allegations of corruption, and unfulfilled promises from soccer leaders before Eto’o was elected president.
Eto’o represented Cameroon in four World Cups from 1998 to 2014.