Johannesburg: Former Cameroon football star Samuel Eto’o has been elected to the CAF executive committee by acclamation during an extraordinary general assembly in Cairo on Wednesday. The 44-year-old was the sole candidate from Central Africa and secured his position after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) lifted his CAF ban last week.
Eto’o, who is also the president of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT), now joins the highest decision-making body in African football. The assembly also confirmed South African Patrice Motsepe's re-election as CAF president for a second four-year term, as he ran unopposed.
Eto’o’s CAF ban, issued last year for ethics violations after becoming a brand ambassador for a betting company, was overturned by CAS. The former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker had been fined $200,000 and suspended, but the ruling was quashed.
Despite facing controversies during his tenure as FECAFOOT president, including a six-month FIFA ban and an assault incident during the 2022 World Cup, Eto’o remains one of Africa’s most decorated footballers. He won the Africa Cup of Nations twice, the 2000 Olympic gold medal, and scored a record 18 goals in AFCON history.
