Cameroon FA blocks Eto’o’s resignation as president

The Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) has rejected the resignation letter of Samuel Eto’o from his role as the organisation’s president. 

According to a statement issued by FECAFOOT on Monday, Eto’o tendered his resignation during an executive committee meeting where the performance of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) was evaluated.

The statement added that Eto’o also invited members of FECAFOOT’s “executive organ” to step down from their roles “in good faith”.

The body, however, unanimously rejected the resignation of the former Barcelona striker, adding that FECAFOOT has “confidence in him to continue with the same spirit of reconstruction and development of Cameroon football”.

“The Executive Committee of the Cameroon Football Federation held a session this Monday, February 05, at the Yaounde Hilton Hotel. The agenda focused on evaluating the performance of the Senior Men’s National Team at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Cast,” the statement reads.

“At the beginning of the meeting, the president of the Camemen Fouthall Federation, Mr Eto’o Fils Samuel, tendered his resignation to the members of the federal executive organ, inviting them to do likewise in good faith.

“At the end of the discussion and subsequent deliberations, the members of the Executive Committee decided to maintain their current mandates and thus unanimously rejected the President’s resignation, thereby renewing their confidence in him to continue with the same spirit of reconstruction and development of Cameroon football at all levels as envisaged in his plan adopted by the elective General Assembly of December 11, 2021.”

Eto’o was elected the president of the Cameroonian Football Federation in 2021.

His tenure has been pockmarked with controversies.

In 2022, he was caught on tape attacking a cameraman outside a stadium at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

In 2023, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced that Eto’o was being investigated over alleged improper conduct after receiving petitions from “several Cameroonian football stakeholders”.