Cameroon football legend and current President of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT), Samuel Eto’o Fils, has said he is taking legal action against the Confederation of African Football (CAF) over match-fixing allegations.
In a Wednesday interview with France 24, Eto’o revealed that he had instructed his legal team to file a formal complaint against CAF for failing to follow through on their promise to investigate the accusations.
Eto’o expressed dissatisfaction with the way CAF handled the situation, stating that he was never questioned about the allegations.
“I was never questioned about what I was accused of. I therefore instructed my lawyers to file a complaint against the CAF and to establish responsibilities. It was too easy to tarnish everything I had built during these few years in the world of football. CAF launched a press release much too early. This is unacceptable behavior,” Eto’o said.
The controversy began in August last year when CAF initiated an investigation into allegations of match-fixing, aggravated corruption, match manipulation, incitement to hatred and violence, attacks on moral and physical integrity, and the propagation of false information.
The accusations were brought forward by Cameroonian football stakeholders, and Eto’o has consistently denied their validity.
The four-time African Ballon d’Or winner has faced controversies during his mandate at FECAFOOT, that some believe contributed to Cameroon’s underwhelming football performance in recent years.
The men’s national team barely qualified for the just ended Africa Cup of Nations where they were eliminated in the round of 16.
Eto’o’s strained relationship with football stakeholders in Cameroon, as well as the Ministry of Sports, has further fueled the controversies.
The FECAFOOT president announced his resignation earlier this February but it was turned down by the executive committee of the federation.
Last July, an association of amateur footballers in Cameroon lodged a complaint against Eto’o with the ethics committees of FECAFOOT, CAF, and FIFA.
However, CAF has refrained from commenting on the progress of the investigations until they are completed.
Eto’o’s decision to pursue legal action against CAF further multiplies his list of controversies and institutions he is at logger heads with.
