The Albany Gazette - Motsepe tells controversial Eto'o: 'Past remains in the past'

South African billionaire Motsepe was speaking at a press conference after his organisation held its extraordinary general assembly -- the yearly highlight for African football officials.

After an illustrious career with numerous European clubs, including Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea, Eto'o has become a controversial official.

Since being elected head of the Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT) in 2001, he has admitted assaulting a football supporter and been banned by FIFA and CAF.

When video footage went viral of Eto'o attacking a fan after a 2022 World Cup match in Qatar, the four-time African Footballer of the Year publicly apologised.

FIFA barred Eto'o from attending men's and women's internationals involving Cameroon for six months over his "offensive behaviour" during the 2024 Women's under-20 World Cup in Colombia.

CAF suspended one of the greatest African footballers for "seriously violating the principles of ethics, integrity and sportsmanship" by becoming a brand ambassador for a betting organisation.

That ban would have barred Eto'o from seeking an executive committee place on Wednesday at a hotel overlooking the pyramids in the Egyptian capital.

But he successfully appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and the ban was lifted late last week, just in time for Eto'o to win a place on the executive committee by acclamation.

In a committee including representatives from each of the six CAF geographical regions, Eto'o was the sole candidate from the Central African Football Federations Union (UNIFFAC).

Reacting to the election of the three-time UEFA Champions League winner, Motsepe said: "The CAF executive committee made a decision about Samuel Eto'o that was overturned by CAS.

"He (Eto'o) has now been elected as one of the leaders of African football, and the most important thing is that we must support him.

"Everyone at CAF must ensure that incidents involving Eto'o in the past must remain in the past.

"Nothing that occurred previously should now be held against him. I believe he has an important contribution to make."

"Cameroon, under the leadership of Samuel, will return to its glory days," added the 63-year-old as he prepares to start a second four-year term as the leader of African football.

(S.Perez--TAG)