Samuel Eto'o investigated by police over match-fixing allegations

28 September 2023 , 20:32

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Samuel Eto'o is at the centre of an alleged match-fixing scandal

Police in Cameroon have launched an investigation into allegations that former Barcelona forward Samuel Eto'o was embroiled in a match-fixing scandal.

The ex- Chelsea and Inter Milan ace has been the president of Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot) since December 2021 but now finds himself at the centre of a storm after a recording of him speaking to someone alleged to be Valentine Nkwain, the president of Victoria United, was made public.

Claims made by Camfoot suggest that Eto'o vowed to help promote the club by fixing results, though both Eto'o and Nkwain deny this, with the latter claiming it is not his voice heard in the recording. A police letter has confirmed that an investigation into “abuse of authority and corruption" is underway.

In the recording, Eto’o is alleged to have informed Nkwain that “there are things we can do” after a game that saw Victoria lose 1-0, “but you have to be very discreet, brother”. He is also believed 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.”

The fact that Victoria went on to be promoted in April did little to quash the controversy surrounding Eto'o's alleged remarks.

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Eto'o has also previously addressed the recording, telling Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport: "I was talking to a friend, someone who invests in football and wants to make his club one of the best in Cameroon. I just reassured him by saying that I would have done everything possible to avoid any refereeing errors against him."

A group of Cameroon's football officials have called on FIFA to act shaprish and remove Eto'o from his post amid the allegations as well as a number of public misdemeanours. The letter is addressed to FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe and asks why Eto'o has been allowed “to illegally impose himself on the FECAFOOT presidency”.

The letter reads: "Not a word has been heard from FIFA., despite numerous complaints and reminders from Cameroonian football actors.

"How can FIFA continue to remain silent in the face of so many scandals that compromise public confidence in sporting ethics and the sincerity of matches?"

Josh O'Brien