Cameroon FA cut Eto'o ban

The Cameroon Football Federation has cut Samuel Eto’o’s 15-match ban to eight months, meaning he will now miss just four games.

The Fecafoot Executive Committee met this morning to reconsider the ban handed to Eto’o for leading a strike of national team players over late payment of appearance fees.

Although Eto’o did not challenge the ban, which related to the players’ refusal to play a friendly against Algeria in November, the Executive Committee were asked to reconsider by Cameroon president Paul Biya.

And a statement on Fecafoot’s website confirmed that the sanction has been cut.

The statement suggested the committee had taken into account Eto’o’s enormous popularity in the country given his long career in the national team, saying that although he was required to be a model of “patriotism, loyalty and commitment” as captain, they also noted he “is a world famous athlete who has rendered outstanding services to the national team of Cameroon”.

Vice-captain Enoh Eyong had his ban cut to one match while Tottenham defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto had a US dollars 2,000 fine rescinded.