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9 days ago

FECAFOOT President Samuel Eto’o has questioned the timing of renewed European media reports over €567,570 paid in connection with Cameroon’s 2023 friendly against Russia, arguing that the stories form part of a coordinated campaign following his recent public interventions on African football. The British newspaper The Times revived the case this week, describing Eto’o as an “Infantino ally” and reporting claims by former FECAFOOT officials who say they do not know what ultimately happened to money paid into a Qatar National Bank account in his name. France’s L’Équipe subsequently carried the story. But the central facts surrounding the payment are more than a year old. Cameroonian media published the Russia-Cameroon contract and associated banking details in June 2025. The documents show that the Russian Football Union agreed to pay €567,570 to FECAFOOT, with the payment instructions identifying a Qatar National Bank account held by Samuel Eto’o. At the time, FECAFOOT’s Emergency Committee defended the management of money from friendly matches, saying practical decisions concerning the collection and use of the funds were collectively approved by its vice-presidents. People close to Eto’o also explained that the arrangement was linked to financial restrictions affecting Russia following its invasion of Ukraine and FECAFOOT’s lack of an account in convertible foreign currency. They said the Qatar account was used as an intermediary to facilitate payment. The sanctions context was real, although available banking information does not establish that payment through Eto’o’s account was the only possible option. OTP Bank, the Russian bank involved in the transaction, remained connected to SWIFT for cross-border transactions. Former FECAFOOT executive member Guibaï Gatama has said he has seen no evidence showing the money subsequently entered FECAFOOT’s bank accounts and has taken complaints to FIFA. But the absence of evidence available to former officials is not itself proof that Eto’o misappropriated the funds. Gatama was also suspended from FECAFOOT’s executive committee on September 11, 2023, before the Russia match agreement was signed later that month. No court or football disciplinary body has established that Eto’o stole or misappropriated the Russia payment. Eto’o has therefore turned attention to another question: why are allegations based substantially on documents published in Cameroon in 2025 suddenly being presented internationally as a major new revelation? In his response, he accused journalists of repeating the same claims almost simultaneously after he spoke out in defence of what he described as the interests of Africa. The renewed reporting may legitimately revisit questions about FECAFOOT’s financial procedures. But unless new evidence establishes wrongdoing, the existence of a payment into Eto’o’s account and former officials saying they do not know what subsequently happened to it should not be treated as proof of misappropriation. The questions therefore run both ways: FECAFOOT can explain precisely how the payment was accounted for, but the media reviving the case should also explain what materially new evidence justifies presenting an old transaction as a fresh scandal. #MMINews #SamuelEtoo #FECAFOOT #Cameroon #Football #FIFA

MimiMefoInfo's tweet photo. FECAFOOT President Samuel Eto’o has questioned the timing of renewed European media reports over €567,570 paid in connection with Cameroon’s 2023 friendly against Russia, arguing that the stories form part of a coordinated campaign following his recent public interventions on African football.

The British newspaper The Times revived the case this week, describing Eto’o as an “Infantino ally” and reporting claims by former FECAFOOT officials who say they do not know what ultimately happened to money paid into a Qatar National Bank account in his name. France’s L’Équipe subsequently carried the story.

But the central facts surrounding the payment are more than a year old.

Cameroonian media published the Russia-Cameroon contract and associated banking details in June 2025. The documents show that the Russian Football Union agreed to pay €567,570 to FECAFOOT, with the payment instructions identifying a Qatar National Bank account held by Samuel Eto’o.

At the time, FECAFOOT’s Emergency Committee defended the management of money from friendly matches, saying practical decisions concerning the collection and use of the funds were collectively approved by its vice-presidents.

People close to Eto’o also explained that the arrangement was linked to financial restrictions affecting Russia following its invasion of Ukraine and FECAFOOT’s lack of an account in convertible foreign currency. They said the Qatar account was used as an intermediary to facilitate payment.

The sanctions context was real, although available banking information does not establish that payment through Eto’o’s account was the only possible option. OTP Bank, the Russian bank involved in the transaction, remained connected to SWIFT for cross-border transactions.

Former FECAFOOT executive member Guibaï Gatama has said he has seen no evidence showing the money subsequently entered FECAFOOT’s bank accounts and has taken complaints to FIFA.

But the absence of evidence available to former officials is not itself proof that Eto’o misappropriated the funds. Gatama was also suspended from FECAFOOT’s executive committee on September 11, 2023, before the Russia match agreement was signed later that month.

No court or football disciplinary body has established that Eto’o stole or misappropriated the Russia payment.

Eto’o has therefore turned attention to another question: why are allegations based substantially on documents published in Cameroon in 2025 suddenly being presented internationally as a major new revelation?

In his response, he accused journalists of repeating the same claims almost simultaneously after he spoke out in defence of what he described as the interests of Africa.

The renewed reporting may legitimately revisit questions about FECAFOOT’s financial procedures. But unless new evidence establishes wrongdoing, the existence of a payment into Eto’o’s account and former officials saying they do not know what subsequently happened to it should not be treated as proof of misappropriation.

The questions therefore run both ways: FECAFOOT can explain precisely how the payment was accounted for, but the media reviving the case should also explain what materially new evidence justifies presenting an old transaction as a fresh scandal.

#MMINews #SamuelEtoo #FECAFOOT #Cameroon #Football #FIFA

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