Samuel Eto’o fined but escapes match-fixing charge in Cameroon

While Eto’o has been found guilty of breaching Caf statutes when it comes to ethics, he has escaped a sanction related to match-fixing, with the disciplinary panel ruling that “as it stands, there is insufficient proof”.

The former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea striker was being investigated alongside Valentine Nkwain, president of newly promoted club side Victoria United, following a leaked phone conversation said to be of the pair discussing Victoria’s return to the top flight before promotion had been guaranteed.

Both have previously denied involvement in any conspiracy to manipulate results.

The latest judgement by Caf is unlikely to quell dissent in Cameroon related to Eto’o’s running of football in the country.

Earlier this week a group of administrators, including former members of Fecafoot and the president of the country’s Professional Football League, wrote an open letter to Caf president Patrice Motsepe and Fifa boss Gianni Infantino, urging them to speed up their investigations and pointing out that possible sanctions included a lifetime ban.

The letter said “many stakeholders who have been in the game for several decades are leaving because of the abuses that have taken place over the past two years.”