June 25 – The FA president of Cameroon and former FC Barcelona legend Samuel Eto’o has become an ambassador for 1xBet, but taking up that role could be in breach of FIFA’s ethics code.
On social media, Eto’o, who chairs Fecafoot, wrote that he was a “proud ambassador of 1xBet” and told his followers to “prepare yourself for non-stop excitement with mega bonuses, unlimited options and a safe betting experience.”
Eto’o and 1xBet formalised their partnership at the end of last month.
“You don’t engage yourself in a contract if you think that it is not interesting. I found the contract very interesting and that it could permit me to go further. I love sharing with people, I love putting smiles on their faces,” Eto’o reportedly said.
“The contract is a win-win partnership. It will enable me to attain my objectives. 1XBET will also be able to achieve theirs.”
The betting operator has a sizable portfolio in football, sponsoring among others FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), but Eto’o is the first FA president to promote 1xBet, funded by Ukranian Russian Sergey Karshkov (who in recent unconfirmed reports was said to have died in suspicious circumstances in Switzerland), Roman Semiokhin and Dmitry Kazorin and declared bankrupt by the Dutch supreme court in January.
Article 27 of the FIFA Ethics Code however prohibits football administrators from both participating directly and indirectly in betting and gambling as well as from having an indirect or direct interest. Football officials can be slapped with a fine of at least CHF100,000 and a three-year ban from the game, according to article 27.3.
It is not the first time Eto’o is making the headlines for all the wrong reasons. At the World Cup, he kneed a football fan outside the 974 Stadium after the round-of-sixteen match between Brazil and South Korea.
He later offered his “sincere apologies” for “losing my temper and reacting in a way that does not match my personality”.
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