Cameroonian football legend Geremi Njitap has been handed a five-year ban from all football-related activities by the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT). The decision comes after a bitter disciplinary dispute with FECAFOOT president and fellow football icon, Samuel Eto’o.
The ban, accompanied by a $16,500 fine, marks a dramatic chapter in the ongoing tensions between two of Cameroon’s most celebrated former players. The incident has drawn widespread attention, fueling debate about leadership and power struggles within Cameroonian football.
Geremi, a former Chelsea and Real Madrid midfielder, remains one of the country’s most revered athletes, having earned 118 caps for the national team, the joint-second highest in Cameroon’s history. Known for his pivotal role in Cameroon’s footballing success, Geremi also achieved significant milestones at club level, winning two Premier League titles with Chelsea in 2005 and 2006.
Tensions between Geremi and Eto’o reportedly began during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire. A heated altercation involving Geremi and a member of Eto’o’s inner circle during a group-stage match against The Gambia led to his forced removal from the stadium.
FECAFOOT’s ethics committee has since declared Geremi guilty of breaching its behavioural code. While the exact nature of the violation remains unclear, critics allege the ban is politically motivated, aimed at curbing Geremi’s potential aspirations for leadership within FECAFOOT.
Geremi’s assistant at the National Union of Footballers of Cameroon (Synafoc), Daniel Blaise Ngos, has also been penalized with a two-year ban and a fine of $8,250.
The former midfielder has been given 10 days to appeal the decision. Sources close to Geremi suggest he may escalate the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland, raising questions about transparency and governance within FECAFOOT.
Critics have decried the ban as a move to stifle dissent and consolidate power within the federation.
