The Association of Amateur Football Clubs of Cameroon (ACFAC) has called for an investigation into the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT ) and its president, Samuel Eto’o, over allegations surrounding a €567,570 payment linked to a friendly match against Russia in 2023.
The ACFAC said it would also institute legal proceedings against Eto’o in Cameroon and file a separate complaint against the Russian Football Union (RFU) in Russia.
The allegations concern two payments of €455,056 and €112,514, totalling €567,570, reportedly made by the RFU in connection with the friendly between Russia and Cameroon in Moscow in October 2023.
According to reports first published by The Times of London and subsequently reported by Al Jazeera, the money was transferred into an account held by Eto’o at Qatar National Bank in Doha.
ACFAC alleged that the transfer breached the terms of the agreement with FECAFOOT because the money was not paid into an account belonging to the federation.
Former FECAFOOT officials have reportedly said they could not locate accounting or banking records showing that the money was subsequently transferred to the federation.
They also said the matter was referred to the FIFA ethics committee more than a year ago but that no substantive response had been received.
FIFA has rejected suggestions that its leadership could influence the work of its ethics and disciplinary bodies, maintaining that the relevant structures operate independently.
Eto’o has rejected the allegations, describing them as a “smear campaign” linked to his efforts to defend the interests of Cameroonian and African football.
In a statement posted on Facebook, the former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker accused his critics of working with sympathetic journalists to recycle allegations against him.
He argued that the controversy was part of a pattern he had previously warned about.
FECAFOOT also rejected the allegations, describing the reports as “defamatory and politically motivated” and accusing its opponents of attempting to discredit the federation’s leadership.
The federation said decisions concerning financial matters for friendly matches, including the Russia fixture, were taken collectively by its Emergency Committee.
According to FECAFOOT, the committee comprises four vice-presidents who co-signed the relevant directives, rather than Eto’o acting alone.
The controversy adds to the scrutiny surrounding Eto’o, 45, since he became president of FECAFOOT in December 2021.
In January, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) imposed a four-match suspension on him over alleged misconduct during Cameroon’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) exit against Morocco.
Eto’o had also previously received a six-month FIFA ban over misconduct at the 2020 Under-20 Women’s World Cup.
Last month, Eto’o publicly backed FIFA president Gianni Infantino amid pressure on the FIFA chief to step down over a controversial World Cup sell-off plan, saying Infantino “hasn't done anything wrong”.
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