FIFA imposes stadium ban on esteemed football figure Eto'o
As a star footballer, Samuel Eto'o was known for causing trouble for defenders. However, his tenure as the head of his nation's football federation has put him in the spotlight for negative reasons. FIFA, the governing body of world football, has imposed a heavy penalty on the 43-year-old. During the U20 Women's World Cup, it's been alleged that he disagreed with a referee's decision and confronted the officials.
Formerly a highly skilled striker, Eto'o has been banned from attending football matches for six months due to an incident at the U20 Women's World Cup in Colombia, as announced by FIFA. The FIFA Disciplinary Commission has charged him with breaching rules concerning "insulting behavior" and "violation of the principles of fair play," along with "misconduct of players and officials."
The incident, though not detailed in the announcement, took place during the round of 16 match between Brazil and Cameroon on September 11, 2024, in Bogotá. The Brazilians emerged victorious with a thrilling 3-1 win in extra time. The Cameroonian delegation strongly contested the penalty that allowed Brazil to equalize.
The stadium ban does not limit Eto'o's role as federation president, but it does restrict him from attending all matches of Fecafoot's male and female teams across various categories and age groups, according to FIFA. Eto'o has been notified about the commencement of the punishment. The 43-year-old, who celebrated victories like the Champions League with FC Barcelona and Inter Milan during his playing days, pondered resigning from his post at the start of the year due to Cameroon's disappointing exit in the Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 against Nigeria (0:2) and persistent allegations against him. However, his resignation was rejected by the executive committee, and they expressed faith in Eto'o driving Cameroonian football's development. He took over as the federation president in 2021.
Eto'o's disagreement with the referee's decision during the U20 Women's World Cup led to allegations of confronting the officials. Despite the ban imposed by FIFA, Etoo continues to serve as the president of Fecafoot.
