Samuel Eto'o banned for seven matches

Samuel Eto'o

Cameroon and Anzhi Makhachkala superstar Samuel Eto’o has been given a seven-match ban from the national team by the Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot).

The ban was announced today by Fecafoot after its disciplinary committee handed its verdict on a hearing that was held on Monday in Yaoundé. Indomitable Lions captain Eto’o personally attended the disciplinary hearing but was still hit with a seven-match ban while his vice-captain Enoh Eyong of Ajax Amsterdam was given a four-game suspension.

Both players were summoned for disciplinary action after the team boycotted a scheduled international friendly against Algeria on November 15. The players were protesting against the non-payment of bonuses due to them after their LG Cup win earlier in Morocco.

However, speaking after the hearing, Eto’o told reporters the reasons for the strike action were deeper and broader than the match bonus affair, adding Cameroonians would soon hear “the whole truth” of the matter.

Tottenham left-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto was also summoned by Fecafoot for repeatedly spurning call-ups to camp and was slapped with a three-match suspension. Newly appointed Cameroon coach Denis Lavagne and his assistant Martin Ndtoungou Mpile as well as Fecafoot vice-president Francis Mveng also testified in front of the disciplinary committee.

The Algeria Football Federation meanwhile is demanding €770 000 from Fecafoot in damages incurred from the scrapped meeting between Algeria and Cameroon.