Sports

Cameroonian soccer great, Samuel Eto’o accused of match fixing, corruption

Published

1 year ago

October 3, 2023

A sports platform in Cameroon, Camfoot.com has accused former striker and current President of the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot), Samuel Eto’o, of match fixing and corruption.

The publication, which released a dossier on Tuesday, said Eto’o used his position as the President of Fecafoot to fix matches for a local club side, Victoria United, helping them gain promotion to the league’s top division.

In the dossier, which is the latest on the corruption scandal that has permeated Cameroonian soccer, Camfoot said Eto’o had been involved in a series of corruption cases, and had used his position as the federation president to cover his tracks.

According to the article which Camfoot said was the final of a dossier comprising no less than nine articles devoted to the former Real Madrid star, “Eto’o’s Fecafoot does indeed rig matches in the pro leagues” as well as “suspected corruption in the Cameroonian championship.”

The article added that Eto’o acted in favour of Victoria United and its president, Valentine Nkwain, whose telephone discussion with the former striker had leaked onto social networks.

The media outlet insisted that the audio of the leaked phone conversation was authentic, and that the comments made by Eto’o and the other person who spoke of a strategy to get Victoria United into the Cameroon First Division, had been verified.

The publication said it also relied on other elements such as the testimony of one of the club’s goalkeepers and the “choice of referees appointed to officiate matches involving Victoria United – only three of the same referees in 13 of the 24 matches played by the team out of a total of 39 referees” to support their claim.

Camfoot also highlighted another point where it claimed that the four matches won by Victoria United came after appeal to the Cameroon Football Federation’s disciplinary committee which was apparently influenced by Eto’o.

“That was a total of 12 points, which greatly helped the club, for whom the body is in the hands of Samuel Eto’o and his entourage,” it said.

“All the referrals made by soccer players have not led to any hearings or investigations. This also means that the Ethics Commission is anything but independent. It is under orders of Samuel Eto’o,” the media outlet said.

Though the embattled Eto’o has not responded to the accusations, the Cameroonian football federation has said the allegations will be looked into.

Related Topics:Cameroon Camfoot.com corruption Featured Match Fixing Samuel Eto'o

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Sports

FIFA Ranking: Nigeria ends 2024 as fifth best team in Africa

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigeria’s men’s football national team, the Super Eagles, ended the year 2024 as the fifth best team in Africa in the latest FIFA world ranking for the month of December.

According to the rankings published by the world football governing body, Nigeria remains unchanged from its previous position, despite having a challenging international break.

The FIFA rankings also reveal that Nigeria suffered a significant decline this year, dropping eight places to end 2024 ranked 44th globally.

The decline follows disappointing performances during the final AFCON qualifiers for 2025, where the Super Eagles struggled against the Benin Republic and Rwanda, resulting in a lack of wins.

However, some of the Super Eagles bitter rivals like South Africa’s Bafana Bafana experienced a resurgence, climbing three positions to finish the year ranked 57th in the world, showing a marked improvement in their recent form and successful matches during the qualifiers.

It was a woeful year for West African rivals Ghana who ended the year in 77th position, which highlights the challenges the Black Stars have encountered in the outgoing year in its bid to maintain its positions among Africa’s elite teams.

Meanwhile, the Moroccan national football team, the Atlas Lion, retained its 14th position in the in the world while still maintaining its number one spot in Africa, holding the first position for the third year in a row.

In the world ranking, Morocco is followed by Senegal on 17th position, Egypt, 33rd, Algeria 37th, Nigeria, 44th, Côte d’Ivoire, 46th, Cameroon, 49th, Mali, 51st, and Tunisia in the 52nd position.

Top 10 African teams in 2024

1. Morocco – (14th)

2. Senegal – (17th)

3. Egypt – (33rd)

4. Algeria – (37th)

5. Nigeria – (44th)

6. Côte d’Ivoire – (46th)

7. Cameroon – (49th)

8. Mali – (51st )

9. Tunisia – (52nd)

10. South Africa – (57th)

Sports

Nigeria’s Lookman, Zambia’s Banda big winners at 2024 CAF Award

Published

5 days ago

December 17, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigerian sensation, Ademola Lookman, has wrapped his footballing year with another win after being declared as the Men’s Footballer of the Year by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Lookman, who plays for Italian club side Atalanta, was the biggest winner at the star-studded 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech following 12 months with Italian side Atalanta and the Nigerian Super Eagles. He follows in the footsteps of compatriot Victor Osimhen, who claimed the award in 2023.

This is the first time Nigeria has had consecutive men’s award winners since nearly thirty years, when Nwankwo Kanu (1996) and Victor Ikpeba (1997) were awarded.

Other top African achievers recognized for their exploits during the event include South Africa’s Ronwen Williams and Zambia’s Barbra Banda. Banda was instrumental in leading Orlando Pride to the NWSL Shield and Championship in the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League season in the United States. She scored the game-winning goal in the final against Washington Spirit.

Other winners include Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie, who won Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award for the second year in a row after another impressive season for French side Paris FC.

Sanaâ Mssoudy, a forward for AS FAR and Morocco, received the Women’s Interclub Player of the Year award after winning the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League Best Player title. Agile box-to-box midfielder, Lamine Camara of Senegal and Monaco, won the Men’s Young Player of the Year award for his outstanding performances for both club and country.

Doha El Madani, a 19-year-old Moroccan and AS FAR player, won the Women’s Young Player of the Year award after scoring six goals in five games to win the Golden Boot at the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League.

See the full winners list below:

2024 CAF AWARDS WINNERS

CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria / Atalanta)

CAF PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Barbra Banda (Zambia / Orlando Pride)

CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)

CAF GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria / Paris FC)

CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns)

CAF INTERCLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Sanaâ Mssoudy (Morocco / AS FAR)

CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Lamine Camara (Senegal / AS Monaco)

CAF YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Doha El Madani (Morocco / AS FAR)

CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (MEN)
Emerse Fae (Cote d’Ivoire)

CAF COACH OF THE YEAR (WOMEN)
Lamia Boumehdi (TP Mazembe)