The former footballer of Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Inter and Chelsea, among others, Samuel Eto’o, 40, announced his candidacy for the presidency of the Cameroonian football federation (Fécafoot).
“I have the pleasure and honor to announce my candidacy for the presidency of the Cameroonian Football Federation,” the former player wrote on his Twitter account.
“After mature reflection, I have made this decision out of love for Cameroon and out of passion for our football,” Eto’o explained, adding: “It is time to start the work of rebuilding our football.”
The announcement of the former player’s candidacy comes when Fecafoot has been in crisis for several months.
The current president, Seidou Mbombo Njoya, had been elected in 2018, but his election, contested by several Cameroonian football players, had been annulled in mid-January by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS).
Despite everything, he remained in office with the mission of working to organize new elections.
His maintenance in the post was poorly received by a strip of sports actors who had decided to appoint another president to head Fécafoot, who, however, did not have the support of the authorities, the African Football Confederation (CAF) and from FIFA.
In 2018, Samuel Eto’o had supported Mbombo Njoya’s candidacy, but now he expresses his “disappointment”. The promises made three years ago by the current president “seemed to me worthy of interest for the future of our country,” he justified. “When it comes to taking stock, I have no regrets, although the fruits have not fulfilled the promise of the flowers,” he said metaphorically.
The election of the new president is scheduled in December.
Cameroon will host the final phase of the Africa Cup of Nations from January 9 to February 7, 2022. AFP (HN)