Samuel Eto’o faces special criminal court complaint over alleged funds mismanagement

Samuel Eto’o has been targeted by a complaint alleging the misappropriation of funds linked to a Cameroon friendly against Russia in October 2023.

A delegation from the Association of Amateur Football Clubs of Cameroon (ACFAC), led by Abdouraman Hamadou Baba, submitted the case to the Special Criminal Court (TCS) in Yaounde. The complaint is directed at the president of the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot).

The case concerns more than 567,000 euros in receipts from the match. It moves the dispute beyond allegations reported in the media and places the handling of the money before Cameroon’s judicial authorities.

Documents revealed by The Times reportedly show two payments of 455,056 euros and 112,514 euros into an account held in Eto’o’s name at Qatar National Bank in Doha.

The transfers total 567,570 euros, which were intended for Fecafoot. Representatives of Eto’o previously explained that the money had passed through the account because of banking difficulties caused by international sanctions against Russia.

Fecafoot has defended its management of the funds and described the allegations as part of a campaign of “defamation” and “slander”. Eto’o also responded publicly after the first accusations appeared in the European press.

ACFAC is now asking the Special Criminal Court to examine how the money was paid and subsequently used. The complaint means Eto’o must address the issue within a legal process, rather than only responding to media reports or opposition from figures inside the federation.

The action comes during a presidency marked by repeated disputes and controversy. Eto’o has been involved in a prolonged disagreement with the Ministry of Sports over the Marc Brys मामला, while relations with several other figures in Cameroonian football have also become strained.

His public support for Gianni Infantino has further attracted criticism from his opponents. Eto’o had openly positioned himself behind Infantino’s next campaign as FIFA president, increasing scrutiny of his relationship with international football’s governing bodies.

The recent African Women’s Cup of Nations triumph for the Indomitable Lionesses had briefly provided a rare period of unity during Eto’o’s time leading Fecafoot. That success temporarily pushed institutional disagreements into the background.

The calm has now ended, with the 567,570 euros linked to the Russia match once again placing Eto’o’s administration at the centre of attention. The next stage will depend on the decisions of the Special Criminal Court.