CAF Frees Samuel Eto’o Of Match-Fixing Charges, Fines Him $200,000

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) started investigating Samuel Eto’o in August 2023 following “written statements from several Cameroonian football stakeholders” indicting the former Cameroon international of irregularities.

CAF subjected Samuel Eto’o to investigation alongside Valentine Nkwain, president of newly promoted club side Victoria Unit after a group of lower clubs’ owners petitioned both of them. Before the club was promoted, a phone conversation was leaked in which Samuel Eto’o was heard discussing the club’s promotion with the side’s president.

Aside from that, Eto’o decided to enter into a deal with a betting company, 1XBET. The deal made him one of the ambassadors of the betting company.

Apart from that, 1XBET sponsors the top two divisions of men’s professional football in Cameroon and both the men’s and women’s national teams.

This is against FIFA regulation which states that people associated with the world football governing body are not expected to be associated with betting companies.

Despite all the allegations against Samuel Eto’o, CAF decided to slam a $200,000 fine on him because he “seriously violated the principles of ethics, integrity and sportsmanship” of Caf by signing a contract to be an ambassador for betting company 1XBET.

The football body, however, threw out allegations of match-fixing because of insufficient evidence.

A BBC report claimed that Eto’o’s lawyers are preparing to appeal the decision of CAF.