Former Cameroon football star Samuel Eto’o has been elected to the CAF executive committee by acclamation in Cairo on Wednesday.
Eto’o, the only candidate from the Central African region, was officially elevated to the executive of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) during an extraordinary general assembly.
The 44-year-old’s candidacy became possible only last week after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned a previous CAF ban that had excluded him from running.
Eto’o, the president of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT), now joins the highest decision-making body in African football.
His ban had been imposed by CAF after he was found guilty of breaching ethical guidelines for becoming a brand ambassador for a betting company.
The sanctions, which also included a $200,000 fine, were lifted by CAS, allowing Eto’o to return to the forefront of African football governance.
While his career has been marked by success, including winning three Champions League titles and four African Footballer of the Year awards, Samuel Eto’o has also been involved in controversies. These included an incident in which he assaulted a football fan outside a stadium during the 2022 World Cup and a FIFA ban from attending national team matches for six months.
Despite the controversies, Eto’o is widely regarded as one of the greatest African footballers, having helped Cameroon win the 2000 Olympic gold and the Africa Cup of Nations in 2000 and 2002.
Later on Wednesday, CAF president Patrice Motsepe from South Africa is expected to be re-elected unopposed for a second term.
