'Cheating' allegation sparks 'violent' altercation

1 year ago 88

Cameroon football federation president and erstwhile prima subordinate Samuel Eto'o apologised for kicking a antheral to the crushed successful what helium called a "violent altercation" extracurricular a World Cup stadium.

Eto'o had paused to airs for photos with fans adjacent Stadium 974 aft Brazil bushed South Korea 4-1. Footage circulating connected societal media showed him past reacting to comments by a antheral holding a camera.

The erstwhile Barcelona and Inter Milan guardant was initially held backmost by radical successful his entourage, but helium past got wide and appeared to purpose a footwear astatine the man, who fell backwards to the ground.

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"I had a convulsive altercation with a idiosyncratic who was astir apt an Algerian supporter," Eto'o wrote successful statements posted successful French and English connected his Twitter account, citing a months-long run by that country's fans against Cameroon since their World Cup playoff successful March.

"I would similar to apologise for losing my temper and reacting successful a mode that does not lucifer my personality," said Eto'o, who has represented Qatar's World Cup organising committee arsenic a Global Legacy Ambassador since 2019.

The man, Algerian societal media property Said Mamouni, aboriginal published a video connected YouTube saying helium was the idiosyncratic who was attacked, and that helium was astatine a Qatari constabulary presumption to record a ailment against Eto'o.

"Samuel had a combat with me. He deed me, and the 1 accompanying him pushed me. I'm present to lodge a ailment and helium besides smashed my camera," Mamouni said.

He said that Eto'o became convulsive aft Mamouni asked him whether helium had bribed Gambian referee Bakary Gassama successful a arguable World Cup qualifying crippled betwixt Cameroon and Algeria. Cameroon won the 2nd limb 2-1 successful the last moments of the lucifer and qualified for the World Cup connected the distant goals rule.

Algeria's shot federation filed a ailment with FIFA, the game's governing body, demanding a replay of the lucifer due to the fact that of what it deemed were refereeing errors made by Gassama. FIFA dismissed the complaint.

But Algeria's grievance besides carried implicit to the Cameroon team's archetypal authoritative quality league successful Qatar, 1 time earlier playing Switzerland. An Algerian reporter's question to Cameroon manager Rigobert Song astir having "bought qualification" wasn't answered.

Eto'o has been successful Qatar arsenic caput of the delegation from Cameroon, which was eliminated successful the radical signifier past week.

"I person been the people of insults and allegations of cheating without immoderate evidence," helium wrote. "I pledge to proceed to defy the relentless provocation and regular harassment of immoderate Algerian supporters."

Eto'o is portion of the FIFA Legends programme that uses erstwhile players to beforehand shot and it was unclear successful what capableness Eto'o attended the crippled connected Tuesday greeting (AEDT).

Qatari organisers of the World Cup said Eto'o hadn't been their impermanent astatine the game.

FIFA didn't instantly respond to a petition for comment. A spokesperson for the Cameroon federation didn't instantly reply telephone calls oregon respond to messages seeking comment.

Qatar's authorities did not instantly respond to questions astir the incident.

Eto'o played astatine 4 World Cups for Cameroon betwixt 1998 and 2014, and was elected to pb its shot federation 1 twelvemonth ago.

He called connected Algerian shot officials "to enactment an extremity to this unhealthy clime earlier a much superior calamity occurs."

"To Fennecs' fans," helium said, noting the Algeria team's nickname, "I privation that they find bid and negociate to flooded the disappointment of a achy defeat, present down us."

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