Samuel Eto’o’s resignation letter rejected by Cameroon federation amidst scandal

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FOOTBALL Samuel Eto’o’s resignation letter rejected by Cameroon federation amidst scandal

Festus Chuma 09:00 - 06.02.2024

Samuel Eto'o's resignation as FECAFOOT president has been rejected amid allegations of corruption and misconduct in Cameroon football.

Samuel Eto'o tendered his resignation as the president of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) on Monday in an unexpected move that was promptly rejected by the organization's executive committee.

Eto'o, a revered figure in African football and a four-time African Player of the Year,has recently found himself at the center of a maelstrom of allegations ranging from match-fixing to corruption.

The former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker, whose career has seen him grace the pitches of four World Cups for Cameroon made the decision to step down during a pivotal meeting held in Yaoundé.

The meeting initially convened to dissect the national team's performance at the Africa Cup of Nations took an unforeseen turn as Eto'o proffered his resignation, urging fellow committee members "to do likewise in good faith."

In a statement released shortly after the deliberations, FECAFOOT articulated its resolve, stating;

"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."

This robust backing comes at a time when Eto'o's tenure has been marred by serious accusations. Just last week, reports surfaced in The Athletic detailing an extensive array of charges against him, including "match-fixing, abuse of power, physical threats, inciting violence, and spreading false information in Cameroon."

The publication claimed access to various forms of communication that ostensibly support these claims, highlighting that the matter is under scrutiny by both FIFA's ethics committee and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Moreover, CAF has acknowledged the gravity of the allegations against Eto'o, brought forth by "several Cameroonian football stakeholders," but reiterated the principle of presumed innocence until proven guilty by a competent judicial authority.

The controversy does not end with Eto'o's presidency as the specter of his association with a sports betting company looms large, drawing criticism and raising questions about potential conflicts of interest, considering his ambassadorial role with the firm. 

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