BY: Osabuohien Imuetinyanosa
Soccer great Samuel Eto’o has successfully overturned a move to block him from running for a position on the sport’s governing body in Africa.
On Friday the Court of Arbitration for Sport has ordered the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to annul their disapproval of Cameroonian football chief Samuel Eto’o so he can stand as a candidate for its executive committee. (Sportsday Newspaper).
The Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport said Friday it had found in Eto’o’s favor after he appealed a decision by the Confederation of African Football to exclude him as a candidate to join its executive committee.
In September, he was banned by FIFA from attending any national team games for six months after being judged to have breached disciplinary rules relating to “offensive behavior and violations of the principles of fair play” and misconduct of officials.
In July last year CAF fined the four-time African footballer of the year $200,000, saying he had “seriously violated the principles of ethics, integrity and sportsmanship” by becoming a brand ambassador for a betting organization. Eto’o’s lawyers said in February the fine had been quashed on appeal.
The 54 member federations elect their leadership in Cairo next Wednesday when CAF president South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe is unopposed for a second four-year term. FIFA president Gianni Infantino is due to attend and Eto’o has now been handed a late reprieve by CAS to compete for a seat on the ruling executive committee. (AP)
The 43-year-old former striker, who played who has stood out a legend and a phenomenal striker in football history with countless awards and super performances of world class grade in places like Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea. Became president of Cameroon soccer federation since 2021. Was acclaimed to be controversial in his time but unstoppable as a striker.
CAF for long had rejected his candidacy despite being the former African player of the year who has headed the Cameroonian federation (Fecafoot) since 2021.
But with the present appeal won, the African federation has planned to hold the election in the course of the meeting of its general assembly next week.
Cameroon Sources have it that Eto’o is targeting a position as CAF vice-president.
“It is ordered that the CAF Executive Committee includes Mr Samuel Eto’o Fils in the list of candidates for election to the CAF Executive Committee by the CAF Extraordinary General Assembly Meeting on 12 March 2025,” Lausanne-based CAS said in its ruling.
