FIFA Bans Samuel Eto’o From Attending Cameroon Matches For Six Months.
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has issued a six-month ban to Samuel Eto’o, the former striker and current president of the Cameroon Football Federation, prohibiting him from attending any of Cameroon’s national team matches. The ban follows violations of FIFA’s conduct rules during the recent U-20 Women’s World Cup, where Cameroon faced Brazil in the round of 16.
According to FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, Eto’o breached Articles 13 (“Offensive behaviour and violations of fair play principles”) and 14 (“Misconduct of players and officials”) of FIFA’s Disciplinary Code. The incident in question took place during the match between Brazil and Cameroon on 11th September in Bogotá, Colombia.
As a result of the ruling, Eto’o is prohibited from attending any matches involving Cameroon’s national teams, including both male and female teams across all age categories, for the next six months.
A statement from FIFA confirmed: “Mr Eto’o has been notified today, the date on which the sanction comes into force.”
This is not the first time Samuel Eto’o has been involved in controversy. The former Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Inter Milan star previously attracted attention for his conduct towards players and Cameroon’s national team coach, Marc Brys, whom he allegedly threatened on camera if his directives were not followed.
Eto’o also made headlines during the 2022 Qatar World Cup after assaulting a fan who filmed him outside a stadium following a match, further adding to the scrutiny surrounding his leadership.
The ban raises questions about the leadership of Cameroon’s football federation under Eto’o, who has been a prominent figure in African football, both as a player and an administrator. The six-month suspension is a significant setback as Cameroon prepares for upcoming international tournaments and qualifiers.
