September 22 – Turkish club Antalyaspor have dropped former Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o from their squad until further notice in a row over controversial comments made on social media which could have been interpreted as implying the club’s chairman was guilty of racism.
Alongside a screenshot of his glittering CV, Eto’o wrote on Instagram in Turkish: “Reminder – perhaps some people do not feel respect for me because I am black. But I am not going to come down from the level I have reached. I have been in this game for 18 years.”
The famed forward, now 35, later made a second post denying the criticism was aimed at Antalyaspor chairman Ali Safak Ozturk who had criticised Eto’o for his performances earlier in the season. “My message was to a person who criticises me unjustly for years and while he continues his criticisms, I kept winning trophies,” he wrote.
But it came too late to stop him being informed he will not be eligible for selection until the matter is resolved internally. “No player is above the interests of Antalyaspor. Everyone must know their place,” the chairman was quoted as saying.
Eto’o has played for Real Madrid, Mallorca, Barcelona, Internazionale, Anzhi Makhachkala, Chelsea, Everton, Sampdoria and now Antalyaspor, scoring 323 goals in 673 appearances.
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