CAF overturns Samuel Eto’o sanctions after Cameroon-Morocco AFCON appeal

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has cancelled all sanctions imposed on Cameroon Football Federation president Samuel Eto’o following an appeal over events at Cameroon’s Africa Cup of Nations 2025 quarter-final against Morocco.

The Cameroon Football Federation confirmed the decision in an official statement on Wednesday, saying CAF’s Appeals Committee had accepted the appeal and annulled the penalties in full.

The ruling relates to the quarter-final match between Cameroon and Morocco, which was played on 9 January. The federation said the decision also removed all legal consequences arising from the original disciplinary ruling.

CAF’s Disciplinary Committee had previously banned Eto’o for four matches and fined him $20,000. It had found him guilty of breaching the principles of integrity, sportsmanship and loyalty under the continental governing body’s disciplinary regulations.

The sanctions followed Eto’o’s reaction to refereeing decisions during the match. The former Cameroon captain protested from the official stand at Rabat’s Moulay Abdellah Stadium as his national team faced Morocco.

Reports also said Eto’o became involved in a confrontation with one of the officials after the final whistle. However, the Cameroon Football Federation rejected the punishment from the outset, arguing that it was unjustified.

It subsequently lodged a formal appeal, which has now resulted in the complete cancellation of the disciplinary measures by CAF’s Appeals Committee.

The decision means the four-match suspension and financial penalty no longer apply to Eto’o. The federation said the appeal ruling had overturned the earlier decision in its entirety.

Eto’o, who is president of the Cameroon Football Federation, remains one of the most prominent figures in African football. His involvement in the incident came during a major tournament match involving Cameroon and Morocco, but the federation’s statement focused on the legal outcome of the appeal rather than providing further details about the events inside or outside the stadium.

CAF’s original ruling had been based on its assessment that Eto’o’s conduct breached several of the organisation’s disciplinary principles. The appeal process has now reversed that assessment and removed the sanctions imposed by the disciplinary panel.

The Cameroon Football Federation described the Appeals Committee’s decision as confirmation of its challenge to the original punishment. No further sanctions were announced in the statement, and the case concerning the match on 9 January has been closed with the penalties against Eto’o cancelled.