The Amateur Clubs’ Association (ACFAC) in Cameroon has urged former football star Samuel Eto’o to step down from his role as the president of the country’s football federation, citing concerns over “serious irregularities” within the organization.
Following a vote last week, ACFAC members overwhelmingly supported the motion, with 11 in favor and only one opposed. The association called upon Eto’o, a four-time African Footballer of the Year, to resign “if he genuinely cares about Cameroonian football, as he has always professed.”
ACFAC has called for the intervention of Cameroon’s sports minister and even suggested reaching out to FIFA President Gianni Infantino to address their grievances.
One of the primary concerns raised by ACFAC is the decision to extend the Fecafoot president’s term from four to seven years, which they argue is both against the statutes and illegal. They also highlighted the lack of publication of new statutes adopted in August of the previous year.
Additionally, ACFAC questioned Eto’o’s involvement as an ambassador for a sports betting company, which may potentially violate both FIFA and Fecafoot regulations. FIFA’s code prohibits individuals bound by its rules from participating, directly or indirectly, in betting, gambling, lotteries, or similar activities related to football. Violations of these regulations can result in fines or bans from football activities.
UMS de Loum, a prominent Cameroonian club, had previously raised concerns about Eto’o’s association with the betting company. They urged Fecafoot, FIFA, and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to investigate the matter.
Fecafoot, which has entered into a sponsorship agreement with the same betting company for the men’s and women’s national teams and the top two divisions of the national league, has yet to respond to the allegations raised by ACFAC.
In its statement, Fecafoot emphasized that the sponsorship deal adheres to ethical codes and reflects Eto’o’s commitment to modernizing Cameroonian football.
ACFAC’s statement also alluded to allegations of match manipulation within Fecafoot, suggesting that unnamed individuals within the organization are involved in manipulating match outcomes for personal betting gains.
The BBC reached out to Fecafoot for comment on the allegations made by ACFAC but has not received a response thus far.