Cameroon FA Rejects Eto’o’s Resignation After Nations Cup Exit

The Cameroon Football Federation have rejected the resignation of President Samuel Eto’o following accusations of improper conduct and corruption.

Eto’o tendered his resignation on Monday, few days after the team’s ouster from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in the hands of Nigeria with a 2-0 loss.

He offered to step down at an executive committee meeting that was called to assess the failed AFCON campaign, while encouraging other Fecafoot members “to do likewise in good faith.”

The federation however, rejected the former Barcelona star’s resignation in statement released on Monday evening.

The statement reads: “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.”

Eto’o’s reign as Fecafoot President has been dogged by allegations of “match-fixing, abuse of power, physical threats, inciting violence and spreading false information in Cameroon.” FIFA have received a file containing details of the allegations, which is also being investigated by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) according to The Athletic.

According to reports, CAF was already investigating what it said were “serious” allegations from “several Cameroonian football stakeholders” against Eto’o. It noted that the former Barcelona and Inter Milan star was “presumed to be innocent until an appropriate judicial body concludes otherwise.”

Questions were raised about Eto’o’s ambassadorial role with a sports betting company. At least one club complained to the Cameroonian federation about the deal, which could violate the institution’s codes.

Eto’o played for Cameroon between 1998 and 2014, he represented the Indomitable Lions at four World Cups, scoring 56 goals in 118 appearances.