President of the Cameroon Football Federation, Samuel Eto’o, is under investigation following accusations of his involvement in a match-fixing scandal.
The allegations surfaced after a recording emerged, purportedly featuring Eto’o and Valentine Nkwain, president of Victoria United, also known as ‘Bobdidy.’
According to reports from Camfoot, the recording suggests that Eto’o promised to manipulate matches in Cameroon’s second tier to secure the promotion of Victoria United. Both Eto’o and Nkwain have denied the claims, with Nkwain asserting that the voice on the recording is not his.
In response to the allegations, police have confirmed, through a letter obtained by The Guardian, the commencement of an investigation into the alleged « abuse of authority and corruption. »
Key witnesses involved in the case have reportedly been interviewed, and the investigation is expected to explore broader accusations of corruption within Fecafoot during Eto’o’s presidency, potentially implicating up to 40 individuals.
The recorded conversation allegedly features Eto’o assuring Nkwain that certain actions can be taken discreetly to influence match outcomes.
Eto’o is claimed to have said, « Don’t worry, we’ll give you your three points, and we will suspend the referee. Opopo [Victoria’s nickname] must go up to the first division. This is our goal. This is our federation. Victoria United will go up. »
Victoria United was subsequently promoted in April. Eto’o had previously explained the recording in an interview with the Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, stating that he was merely reassuring a friend who invests in football. He emphasized his commitment to avoiding refereeing errors against his friend’s club.
This latest development follows a series of public incidents involving Eto’o, prompting a group of Cameroon’s football officials to call on FIFA to take action.
The group, including Pierre Semengue, president of the Professional Football League of Cameroon, expressed concerns about Eto’o’s continued influence on the Fecafoot presidency.
Despite an ongoing investigation into Eto’o’s alleged improper conduct initiated by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), no concrete action has been taken.
In a joint letter addressed to FIFA President Gianni Infantino and CAF President Patrice Motsepe, the officials questioned FIFA’s silence on the matter, raising concerns about the compromise of public confidence in sporting ethics and match integrity.
The letter also criticized Infantino after he and Eto’o were pictured together in France earlier this month to discuss football development. The officials lamented what they perceive as Africa being treated as an enclave where ethical violations by sports leaders go unchecked.
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