March 10 – Fecafoot boss Samuel Eto’o has scored a victory at the highest court in sport to allow him to run for an executive committee seat at the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled in favour of Eto’o following his appeal against a CAF decision to exclude him from the executive committee elections that will be staged this week in Cairo, Egypt.
“The CAS panel considered that it was presented sufficient information to overturn the CAF executive committee’s decision concerning Mr Eto’o’s ineligibility,” CAS said in a statement. “It will be for the CAF extraordinary general assembly meeting on 12 March 2025 to make its own evaluation of the candidates.”
On Wednesday, CAF will stage its Congress in the Egyptian capital. South African mining magnate Patrice Motsepe will run unopposed for a second four-year term. The organisation will also elect its executive committee members as well as representatives for the FIFA Council.
Last year, a CAF disciplinary panel found that Eto’o had “seriously violated the principles of ethics, integrity and sportsmanship” of CAF by signing a contract to be an ambassador for betting operator 1XBET.
FIFA rules state that people bound by its code are not allowed any involvement in betting related to football. Eto’o was fined $200,000, but not without irony. 1Xbet, an illegal bookmaker with Russian ties, is also a sponsor of CAF itself.
Controversy is never far away with Eto’o. Last September, FIFA banned him from attending international matches for six months after a breach of disciplinary rules relating to “offensive behaviour and violations of the principles of fair play” and misconduct of officials. At the World Cup in Qatar, Eto’o was seen on video to knee a supporter outside a match venue.
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