Former Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o has been accused of misusing funds paid for an international friendly match between Russia and Cameroon, according to a report by British newspaper The Times.
Former officials from the Cameroonian Football Federation, known as FECAFOOT, allege that two separate financial transfers intended for the governing body were paid directly into the personal bank account of Eto'o, who serves as the organization's president.
According to figures published by the newspaper, the payments sent to Eto'o's personal account were for 455,056 euros and 112,514 euros. The funds were designated for FECAFOOT as an appearance fee for organizing the international friendly game between the national teams of Russia and Cameroon.
The match between the two national teams took place in the Russian capital of Moscow on October 12, 2023.
Ethics complaints submitted to FIFA
Former federation officials claim they submitted formal complaints regarding Eto'o's financial conduct to the ethics committee of FIFA, world football's governing body, more than a year ago.
The whistleblowers stated that they have received no official updates or information on the progress of any investigation by FIFA since submitting their complaints. They added that the ultimate fate and current whereabouts of the match fee funds remain unknown.
Background on Eto'o and FECAFOOT
Eto'o, a four-time African Player of the Year who won domestic and European titles with Barcelona and Inter Milan, assumed office as president of FECAFOOT in December 2021. FECAFOOT is the governing organization responsible for managing national football operations, domestic leagues, and international fixtures for Cameroon.
FIFA, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, oversees international association football and maintains an independent ethics committee structured to investigate allegations of financial irregularity and governance breaches across its member associations.
Political backing within football leadership
Eto'o previously expressed public support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino ahead of elections for the leadership of the global governing body. The former Cameroon forward publicly praised Infantino at the time, stating that the FIFA chief was dedicated to developing football infrastructure across Africa. Infantino has served as president of FIFA since 2016.
