Cameroonian football has been plunged into fresh controversy as FECAFOOT president Samuel Eto’o imposes a five-year suspension on former teammate and Champions League winner Geremi Njitap.
The sanction stems from a fiery confrontation during the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations match against Gambia, involving Njitap and Eto’o’s head of protocol, Etienne Tamo, inside the national team’s dressing room.
Initially dismissed as a minor bust-up, the incident has since escalated into a high-stakes scandal, exposing deeper fractures within the Cameroon Football Federation.
Insiders report that Njitap, who served on FECAFOOT’s executive committee at the time, openly criticised what he described as Eto’o’s tightening grip on power-sparking a heated altercation that allegedly turned physical.
Eto’o’s decision, just months before the upcoming FECAFOOT elections, is being interpreted by many as a strategic power play.
Rumours had circulated that Njitap was considering a bid for the presidency, a move that could have posed a significant threat to Eto’o’s leadership.
Critics argue the ban is politically motivated, raising fears that Cameroonian football is becoming increasingly entangled in personal rivalries rather than sporting progress.
As tensions continue to simmer, concerns grow that the governance of the beautiful game in Cameroon is drifting into dangerous territory.
