CAF says investigating Eto’o over alleged improper conduct.

This is according to a report published on the official website of the African regulatory football body. The said report was released Wednesday August 9. 

In the report, CAF says it has “received written statements from several Cameroonian football stakeholders, to look into and investigate certain alleged improper conduct by Eto’o,”. 

CAF went further to add that it is “looking into these requests, based on and in accordance with its Statutes and Regulations”. 

CAF however stressed that “whilst the allegations are prima facie serious, Samuel Eto’o is presumed to be innocent, until an appropriate judicial body concludes otherwise,”. 

No additional information has been made public concerning the alleged misconduct of the Cameroon FA boss. 

CAF has however assured public opinion, through their report that, a statement shall be released when the proceedings are over. 

Understanding CAF’s probe on Eto’o

It is the first time that CAF has opened investigation on Samuel Eto’o, since he took over as President of his country’s football federation in December 2021. 

Although CAF has not explained in details the raison d’etre of the probe, it is believed that it originates from the fracas between Eto’o and one of his closest collaborators, Henry Njalla Quan Jnr. 

Experts argue that this is so because the probe, which has raised public eyebrows, is coming barely a few weeks after the former Fourth Vice President of FECAFOOT, Henry Njalla Quan Jnr, opened the federation’s can of worms. 

In several public outings, to both national and international media, Njalla Quan Jnr, accused Samuel Eto’o, whom he firmly supported during the December 2021 FECAFOOT presidential elections, of match-fixing. 

He claims that there have been other cases of mismanagement and corruption at FECAFOOT, which needed to be uncovered.

The last stroke on the camel’s back was when his team, Njalla Quan Sport Academy, NQSA, of Limbe, lost a crucial South West mini-interppol game, which caused them a spot to feature at this year’s National Interpools. 

In the said encounter, his team ‘controversially’ received 11 cards to players and staff, including five red cards, and six yellows! To make matters worse, the referee awarded three controversial penalties to the opposite team. 

Njalla Quan reportedly claimed that he urged Eto’o to address such malpractices but his plea fell on deaf ears. Instead of taking concrete actions, Njalla Quan was rather suspended by FECAFOOT. 

CAF’s resolves to investigate Eto’o has sparked mix-reactions from football stakeholders and experts in the country. 

Some of them are optimistic that nothing will come out of the investigation. Others, however, are predicted doom, and fear that an unfavourable outcome, would halt the progress of the sports in the country. 

More trouble for Eto’o? 

The announcement of the investigation of Eto’o by CAF, adds to a plethora of challenges the football icon and his administration at Tsinga are currently confronted with. 

Amongst these issues are legal battles with some of its partners like the former kit supplier of the national football team, Le Coq Sportif. 

Eto’o Fils, as president of FECAFOOT, is also grappling to repay a close to three billion FCFA loan the federation received from government, prior to their participation of the Indomitable Lions at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The Eto’o Fils-led FECAFOOT has also been ordered to pay the former Indomitable Lions’ trainer, Antonio Conceicao, whose contract was wrongly terminated, over one billion FCFA.  

By Beng Emmanuel Kum, Brenda Ndong* & Ndikum Princely Ndikum*