Even before his election at the helm of FECAFOOT, Samuel Eto’o did a lot on the international scene defending Cameroon‘s hosting of AFCON 2021. For example, he appeared on international media platforms notably RIF and Canal+ protesting against FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s attempt to cancel the January 2022 event in Cameroon.
As FECAFOOT president, Eto’o has been very outspoken with regards to the organization of the tournament. In his first media outing on Canal+, he was unequivocal: “The federation that I represent will defend with the last iota of its energy the holding of AFCON 2021.”
“Can [someone] give me just one reason why the competition should not be played in Cameroon, whereas the European Nations Championship was played in the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic?” Eto’o rhetorically asked.
In a joint CAF-FIFA meeting last December, the FECAFOOT president reportedly banged the door on international football officials when a suggestion to cancel the 2021 Afcon was raised.
FIFA president, Infantino, argued his suggestion to cancel the tournament was due to the ravaging effects of the omicron variant of COIVID-19, but President Eto’o dismissed it as “an attempt to force Africa play second fiddle as always”, insisting that “gone are the days of African naivety”.
In fact, it is alleged that Eto’o facilitated the meeting between CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe and President Paul Biya at the Unity Palace, where both men had discussed and agreed on the effective organization of AFCON 2021. In his first meeting with staff of FECAFOOT, Eto’o was very clear that everyone should give their best.
“We have very little time. For the moment, we have an Africa Cup of Nations coming up. What the Minister has decided we must do, we must apply; each of us must do everything, so that our brothers (Africans) have no worries”, Eto’o told the meeting.
