CURRENT REPORT BLOG In a surprising turn of events, the executive committee of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) has unanimously rejected the resignation of its president, Samuel Eto’o, following the national team’s exit from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Eto’o, who has led FECAFOOT since December 11, 2021, submitted his resignation in the wake of Cameroon’s round of 16 departure from the tournament, a move that has sparked widespread discussion within the football community.
Cameroon’s journey in the 2023 AFCON came to an abrupt end after a 2-0 loss to Nigeria, despite having advanced from the group stage with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Gambia on January 23. This defeat dashed the hopes of clinching their 6th AFCON title, a milestone that Eto’o had hoped to achieve during his tenure.
Eto’o’s presence at all four matches played by the Indomitable Lions in Ivory Coast underscored his commitment to the team’s success, making his decision to step down even more poignant.
The rejection of Eto’o’s resignation by FECAFOOT’s executive committee signals a strong vote of confidence in his leadership, amidst a period of introspection for Cameroonian football. However, the announcement did not address the status of national team head coach, Rigobert Song.
Following Eto’o’s sudden resignation, the Cameroon FA’s executive committee released a statement on Monday, February 5, stating their refusal to accept his resignation.
The statement reads: “At the end of discussions and subsequent deliberations, the members of the executive committee decided to maintain their current mandates and thus unanimously rejected the president’s resignation thereby renewing their confidence in him to continue with the same spirit of reconstruction and development of Cameroon football at all levels as envisaged in his plan adopted by the elective general assembly of December 11, 2021.”
