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Samuel Eto'o playing for the Cameroon National Soccer
team during the World Cup in South Africa in 2010
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Soccer may bring a political revolution in Cameroon
if the government of Cameroon doesn’t act quickly. Soccer star Samuel Eto’o,
the captain of the national squad, was handed a 15 match ban because he allegedly
instructed team mates to boycott an arranged friendly match with the Algerian National
Soccer team. The Cameroon Soccer Federation (FECAFOOT) has been sanctioned and
is paying a fine for not meeting its obligation.
New! Download the full report of the Cameroon Soccer Federation sanctioning Samuel Eto'o
New! Download the full report of the Cameroon Soccer Federation sanctioning Samuel Eto'o
The fans are angry and there are reports of protests been organized in several parts of Cameroon. Former stars such as Roger Milla and Joseph Antoine Bell have taken the airwaves to voice their discontent for Etoo's ban. The federation said Eto'o was banned for "violating the internal regulations of the national team relating to loyalty and obligation of participating in a match."
Blogs on African Soccer and politics in Cameroon are on fire at the moment. The news website Cameroon online calles it a "state crisis". Many people leaving comments in forums and chat rooms are portraying the FECAFOOT as corrupt and a symbol of the current government led by President Paul who had just won a new 7 year term. Paul Biya is doing everything he can to come out of this issue clean without appearing as imposing his own unilateral decision. Sports minister Adoum Garoua says in a statement that the government is “looking at the possibilities of bringing together the various parties involved” in a bid to “resolve the problem and restore harmony.
Etoo, who is currently the most expensive soccer player in the history of the sport, is respected throughout the world and in particular in Cameroon where
he is loved by virtually everyone including the president’s family. Recently he just handed to the government a key of a new hospital dedicated to health of mothers and children built in the neighborhood where he grew up.
The president of Cameroon, Paul Biya is taking the matter into his own hands and has based on many sources instructed the Secretary General of the presidency to do all that’s possible to diffuse the growing tension in the country. Samuel Eto’o is reported to have said it is time for a “Jasmine revolution in Cameroon”. It is not clear whether he was calling for the people to take over the street of whether he was just referring to the specific situation that the players of the national have faced for years.
Samuel Eto’o’s interview on local TV station on Tuesday December 20th night made revelations about the shady deals of the managers of the Cameroon FA. He described them as corrupt officials orchestrating fraudulent dealings. Eto’o, who was speaking on the saga that earned him a 15-match ban, revealed that money is the sticky issue and that he has been against the policies of the Iya Mohammed, the current president of the Fecafoot administration for more than five years.
“There are so many things going on in the national team and a lot of financial dealings which are not clear. All the officials are only interested in is money. This has continued over the years and things cannot continue to go on like this" said Eto'o
"One cannot explain why the officials would prefer to fly players eight hours or two hours just to go and train elsewhere when it can be done in the country. Arrangements for friendly matches are not made known and the players are just asked to go and play.
"They use us to play and they get the money. We swell Fecafoot’s account through our work. We work and others enrich themselves from our sweat. There are a lot of financial improprieties in the team but they do not want to put the players in the best conditions before games,” Eto’o reeled out.
He went on: We want things to be clear and let officials take responsibility for their actions. I spent five years without talking with the Fecafoot President Iya Mohamed because I disagreed with his policies,” Eto’o explained.
The decision of the disciplinary committee of the Cameroon football federation has continued to receive widespread disapproval especially from the Cameroon soccer squad that cemented the country’s reputation in the game. The all agree it is a death sentence for Eto’o’s career and perhaps may be a beginning of strikes in Cameroon’s streets.
The president of Cameroon, Paul Biya is taking the matter into his own hands and has based on many sources instructed the Secretary General of the presidency to do all that’s possible to diffuse the growing tension in the country. Samuel Eto’o is reported to have said it is time for a “Jasmine revolution in Cameroon”. It is not clear whether he was calling for the people to take over the street of whether he was just referring to the specific situation that the players of the national have faced for years.
Samuel Eto’o’s interview on local TV station on Tuesday December 20th night made revelations about the shady deals of the managers of the Cameroon FA. He described them as corrupt officials orchestrating fraudulent dealings. Eto’o, who was speaking on the saga that earned him a 15-match ban, revealed that money is the sticky issue and that he has been against the policies of the Iya Mohammed, the current president of the Fecafoot administration for more than five years.
“There are so many things going on in the national team and a lot of financial dealings which are not clear. All the officials are only interested in is money. This has continued over the years and things cannot continue to go on like this" said Eto'o
"One cannot explain why the officials would prefer to fly players eight hours or two hours just to go and train elsewhere when it can be done in the country. Arrangements for friendly matches are not made known and the players are just asked to go and play.
"They use us to play and they get the money. We swell Fecafoot’s account through our work. We work and others enrich themselves from our sweat. There are a lot of financial improprieties in the team but they do not want to put the players in the best conditions before games,” Eto’o reeled out.
He went on: We want things to be clear and let officials take responsibility for their actions. I spent five years without talking with the Fecafoot President Iya Mohamed because I disagreed with his policies,” Eto’o explained.
The decision of the disciplinary committee of the Cameroon football federation has continued to receive widespread disapproval especially from the Cameroon soccer squad that cemented the country’s reputation in the game. The all agree it is a death sentence for Eto’o’s career and perhaps may be a beginning of strikes in Cameroon’s streets.
Samuel Eto'o Honours
ClubsMallorca
Copa del Rey (1): 2003
Copa del Rey (1): 2003
Barcelona
La Liga (3): 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09
Copa del Rey (1): 2009
Supercopa de España (2): 2005, 2006
UEFA Champions League (2): 2005–06, 2008–09
La Liga (3): 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09
Copa del Rey (1): 2009
Supercopa de España (2): 2005, 2006
UEFA Champions League (2): 2005–06, 2008–09
Internazionale
Serie A (1): 2009–10
Coppa Italia (2): 2010, 2011
Supercoppa Italiana (1): 2010
Supercoppa Italiana Runner Up: (1) 2011
UEFA Champions League (1): 2009–10
FIFA Club World Cup (1): 2010
Serie A (1): 2009–10
Coppa Italia (2): 2010, 2011
Supercoppa Italiana (1): 2010
Supercoppa Italiana Runner Up: (1) 2011
UEFA Champions League (1): 2009–10
FIFA Club World Cup (1): 2010
International
Cameroon
African Cup of Nations (2): 2000, 2002
LG Cup (1): 2011
Cameroon Olympic Team
Olympic Gold Medal (1): 2000
Individual Honours
African Cup of Nations (2): 2000, 2002
LG Cup (1): 2011
Cameroon Olympic Team
Olympic Gold Medal (1): 2000
Individual Honours
Young African Player of the Year: 2000
African Player of the Year: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010
ESM Team of the Year: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008-09,
2010–11
FIFPro World XI: 2005, 2006
UEFA Team of the Year: 2005, 2006
African Cup of Nations Top Scorer: 2006, 2008
UEFA Champions League Best Forward: 2006
La Liga Top Scorer: 2006
African Cup of Nations All-Time Top Scorer
RCD Mallorca All-Time Top Scorer
Cameroon All-Time Top Scorer
2005 FIFA World Player of the Year Third
UEFA Champions League Final Man of the Match 2006
FIFA Club World Cup – Golden Ball 2010
CAF Starting XI in the Africa Cup of Nations Egypt
2006
