December 1 – As the sole candidate for the position, Samuel Eto’o, the four-time African player of the year received 85 out of 87 votes from members of Cameroon FA (Fecafoot), to be re-elected as president at the general assembly.
Eto’o came to power in 2021 and will now serve another four-year term until 2029. FIFA boss Gianni Infantino was among the first to congratulate Eto’o on his re-election.
The Cameroonian built a stellar career as a player for FC Barcelona and Inter Milan, but his role as an administrator has been more contentious.
The former Barcelona player has been accused of skimming money from multiple friendlies involving Cameroon, though the allegations have not been proven and no disciplinary investigation by CAF or FIFA has been made public.
In the spring of 2023, Eto’o controversially became an ambassador for online bookmaker 1XBET, telling his followers to “prepare yourself for non-stop excitement with mega bonuses, unlimited options and a safe betting experience.”
At home, Eto’o replaced the local referees association after match officials went on strike over alleged unpaid wages. He also disbanded Cameroon’s professional footballers union (SYNAFOC) and replaced it with a body that is not recognised by Fifpro, the world players’ union.
Eto’o’s past is chequered. He admitted to defrauding the Spanish treasury by disguising image rights income and, three years ago, accepted a suspended 22-month prison sentence. That same year, he kneed a football fan in an altercation outside Stadium 974 in Qatar after Brazil’s World Cup round-of-16 win over South Korea. He also reached a €90,000 agreement with Erika Do Rosario Nieves, who after a legal battle was recognised as his daughter in 2022. He was ordered to pay the backlog of €1400-per-month in child support which he failed to do though in 2023 agreed to new settlement with her lawyers.
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