Story highlights
Cameroon's football federation reduces Samuel Eto'o's suspension to eight months
The national captain had been banned for 15 matches for his role in a player strike
But now the 30-year-old will sit out four international games and can return in September
Vice-captain Enoh Eyong had a two-match suspension halved by the federation
Samuel Eto’o can return to international action in September after the Cameroon Football Federation decided to reduce the four-time African player of the year’s 15-match suspension to eight months.
The 30-year-old national captain, who has represented his country more than 100 times, was punished last month for his role in the team’s players refusing to play in a friendly against Algeria in November due to unpaid bonuses.
But Friday’s meeting of the federation’s executive meeting ended with his ban being cut, while his vice-captain Enoh Eyong had a two-match suspension halved and defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto’s $2,000 fine for refusing national call-ups was waived.
Cameroon had to pay Algeria’s FA $500,000 in compensation, but the subsequent punishment of the players attracted strong criticism and reports claimed that President Paul Biya intervened to have the rulings reconsidered.
Eto’o is widely considered one of the greatest players Africa has produced, having had a distinguished career with European heavyweights Barcelona and Inter Milan before moving to Russia’s Anzhi Makhachkala in a big-money deal last year.
The federation – known as Fecafoot – released a statement on Saturday describing him as “a world famous athlete who has rendered outstanding services to the national team of Cameroon.”
Eto’o will miss the two-legged 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea Bissau on February 29 and June 15, plus 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Democratic Republic of Congo on June 1 and Libya a week later.
Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions failed to qualify for this year’s African Cup of Nations, which will start this month in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
