Big Win for Samuel Eto’o as CAS Overturns CAF Ban Ahead of Elections

By Boris Esono Nwenfor

BUEA, Cameroon – Four-time African Footballer of the Year, Samuel Eto’o, has won a legal battle to be reinstated as a candidate for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) executive committee elections set to take place next week.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld an appeal filed by Eto’o after he was excluded from the race by CAF’s governance committee in January. The ruling means the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) president will now be on the ballot for the crucial CAF elections in Cairo next Wednesday.

“Following a hearing on 3 March 2025, it is ordered that the CAF executive committee includes Eto’o in the list of candidates for election to the committee,” said a CAS statement.

“The CAS Panel considered that it was presented sufficient information to overturn the CAF Executive Committee’s decision concerning Eto’o’s ineligibility. It will be for the CAF Extraordinary General Assembly Meeting on 12 March to make its evaluation of the candidates."

Legal Victory After CAF Ban

Eto’o’s exclusion from the elections was the latest in a series of controversies involving the Cameroonian football icon. Earlier this year, CAF imposed a ban and a $200,000 fine on him following an inquiry into his alleged breaches of ethical and integrity standards. The sanction was linked to his role as an ambassador for a betting company – a position viewed as conflicting with his responsibilities as a football administrator. However, after an appeal, the ban was lifted.

In September, FIFA also handed Eto’o a six-month ban from attending Cameroon’s national team matches after he was accused of verbally abusing match officials at the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia. The ban comes to an end this month.

A Divisive Football Leader

Despite his legendary status as one of Africa’s greatest-ever players, Samuel Eto’o’s tenure as FECAFOOT president has been marked by controversy. While he has pushed for football reforms in Cameroon, critics argue that his leadership style has been polarizing both domestically and on the international stage.

CAF’s governance has also come under scrutiny in the lead-up to next week’s elections. Although the deadline for candidate submissions was in November, the African football governing body has yet to release an official list of candidates just days before the vote.

Meanwhile, CAF President Patrice Motsepe is running unopposed for a second four-year term, ensuring his continued leadership of African football’s top body. It is now down to the CAF Extraordinary General Assembly Meeting on 12 March to make known whether or not Eto’o will be cleared to contest for one of the vice-presidential roles at CAF as African football leaders prepare to decide on key positions within CAF and its representation on the FIFA Council.