Samuel Eto’o resigns as Cameroon FA boss, but Executive Committee rejects it

• Posted on February 6, 2024February 6, 2024
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Executive Committee Members of the Cameroonian Football Association have rejected Samuel Eto’o’s request to step down as President of the association.

Eto’o tendered his resignation letter following the elimination of Cameroon from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The Indomitable Lions lost to Nigeria in the last 16 stage.

The former Cameroon international took on the presidency of Fecafoot in December 2021.

However, his reign has not been smooth sailing, with some controversial moments over the last two and a half years.

Following a disastrous AFCON competition in which Rigobert Song’s team barely made it out of the group stages after a thrilling win over Gambia before losing 2-0 to Nigeria in the final 16, Eto’o resigned.

The former striker had a noticeable presence during the tournament, with Eto’o crying when Cameroon advanced to the knockout stages, but the strain on him increased once they were eliminated.

However, in a statement issued on Monday, Fecafoot declared that Eto’o’s resignation had been rejected.

“The Executive Committee of the Cameroon Football Federation held a session this Monday, February 5 at the Yaounde Hilton Hotel,” they said.

“The agenda focused on evaluating the performance of the senior men’s national team at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

“At the beginning of the meeting, the President of the Cameroon Football Federation, Mr Eto’o Fils Samuel, tendered his resignation to the members of the federal executive organ, inviting them to do likewise in good faith.

“At the end of discussions and subsequent deliberations, the members of the Executive Committee decided to maintain their current mandates and thus unanimously rejected the President’s resignation.

“Thereby renewing their confidence in him to continue with the same spirit of reconstruction and development of Cameroon football at all levels as envisaged in his plan adopted by the elective General Assembly of December 11, 2021.”

Under Eto’o’s administration, Cameroon failed to progress past the group stage during the 2022 FIFA World Cup before their exit from the AFCON 2023 in the round of 16.

-Myjoyonline