The former Barcelona player was found guilty of violating FIFA’s regulations concerning “offensive behavior, breaches of fair play principles, and misconduct by players and officials.”
These violations stem from Cameroon’s round of 16 match against Brazil, which Brazil won 3-1 after extra time. Eto’o and the Cameroonian delegation expressed their discontent over a penalty that resulted in Brazil’s equalizing goal during the game held in Bogota, Colombia, on September 11.
As part of the suspension, Eto’o is prohibited from attending any matches involving Cameroon teams, regardless of gender or age category; however, this sanction does not impact his position as president of Fecafoot, the national football federation.
In July, Eto’o faced a $200,000 fine for an ethics violation related to a sponsorship deal with an online gambling company, as determined by the Confederation of African Football.
Elected as Fecafoot president in 2021, Eto’o has also been at odds with his country’s sports ministry, labeling the appointment of Belgian Marc Brys as the men’s team coach earlier this year as “illegal.”