Sports

More trouble for Samuel Eto’o as CAF launches investigation into sexual abuse, match fixing allegations

Published

9 months ago

August 10, 2023

Former Cameroonian international striker and current President of the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot), Samuel Eto’o, is in all sorts of trouble as Confederation of African Football (CAF) says it is investigating allegations of improper conduct including sexual harassment of staff of the federation and match fixing.

The former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker, who was elected Fecafoot President in December 2021, has been in the eye of the storm following a plethora of allegations that have dogged his tenure. In recent times, the 42-year-old legend has had to contend with a series of troubles including a recent paternity case where he had to fork out a huge amount to settle his estranged daughter.

CAF’s resolve to investigate the Cameroonian agent came after a group of amateur clubs in the country called on Eto’o to resign, accusing him of “grave irregularities” and match fixing to favour a club he had interest in.

The group also called on Cameroon’s Sports Minister to intervene, as well as mentioning the possibility of asking FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, to also investigate Eto’o.

In a statement from CAF on Wednesday, the African football governing body said it had received written statements from several Cameroonian football stakeholders and would be looking into the requests based on and in accordance with the CAF statutes and regulations.

The statement added that on first impression, the allegations looked serious but noted that Eto’o would be presumed innocent until an appropriate judicial body concluded otherwise.

The four-time African Footballer of the Year has also had issues with Fecafoot following his appointment of former teammate, Rigobert Song, and falling out with senior players including goalkeeper, Andre Onana, who accused him of highhandeness.

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Sports

Ethiopian marathon legend Bekele returns to Olympics after 12-year absence

Published

6 mins ago

May 17, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

After a 12-year absence on the international race circuit, Ethiopian marathon legend, Kenenisa Bekele, has announced that he will return for the 2024 Olympic Games in July after he was named in a 10-member team on Thursday.

The 41-year-old Bekele last competed in the London Games in 2012 when he finished fourth in the men’s 10,000m before he was overlooked for the 2016 and 2020 Olympics.

His surprise return to the Ethiopian team came after a remarkable second-place finish at the London Marathon in April which was enough to earn him a place for the Paris Olympics in a squad which also features women’s world record holder Tigist Assefa.

In his heydays, Bekele won three Olympic golds in the 5,000m and 10,000m, and is now expected to renew his rivalry with reigning Olympic champion and former world record holder, Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya who was also named in the Kenyan team.

In August 2003, Kipchoge dusted his Ethiopian rival when the two met for the first time at the Paris World Championships, holding on to win the 5,000m race, pipping Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj into second place while Bekele finished third.

Bekele made his marathon debut in April 2014 when he produced the sixth-fastest run over the distance in Paris but his career has been hampered by injuries.

Other members of the Ethiopian men’s team for the Olympics are Sisay Lemma, the Valencia marathon champion, and Deresa Geleta, while 2023 New York marathon champion and 2022 world champion Tamirat Tola and Eusedin Mohammed, are standby reserves.

Sports

Zambia’s women national team coach face new sexual assault allegation

Published

14 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Zambia women national team coach, Bruce Mwape, is facing new allegations of sexual assault and misconduct at the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, prompting an investigation by world football governing body, FIFA.

Mwape who is currently facing allegations of sexual harassment after some of his players laid accusations against him, has been accused by a female FIFA contractor of inappropriately touching her breast during the tournament.

A report on the Fifa website disclosed that the body received an official complaint accusing the 64-year-old Mwape of touching the breast of a FIFA contractor from New Zealand.

The complainant is quoted to have told Fifa officials that Mwape had inappropriately touched her breasts in a suggestive manner.

“I remember him putting his hand on my shoulder to say ‘Good morning,’ but then he went again and wiped his hand straight down the front, obviously touching my boob,” the contractor reportedly said.

“It happened so quickly. It felt wrong to me but I also questioned whether it had just been a mistake. But after that, his relationship with me was very different. So I think he knew what he had done was not appropriate,” the unnamed contractor added.

The incident, according to the report, allegedly occurred while the team was staying at an Auckland hotel before their match against Spain.