Eto’o Prevails as CAS Sides with Fecafoot in High-Stakes Football Dispute

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CameroonOnline.ORG | The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has officially dismissed a legal challenge against Samuel Eto’o, president of the Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot), brought by his former mentor and founder of the renowned Kadji Sports Academy, Gilbert Kadji, in a major ruling that has sent ripples through Cameroonian football.

The decision, published on May 7, marks the culmination of a highly publicized dispute rooted in governance, licensing controversies, and personal grievances. Last year, Fecafoot suspended Kadji from all football-related activities for five years, citing his boycott of the fifth division championship and his outspoken criticism of the federation’s player licensing process. Out of nearly 50 license requests by Kadji Sports Academy, only 11 were approved—an outcome Kadji labeled discriminatory and indicative of systemic harassment.

Kadji took the matter to CAS, aiming to overturn the suspension and challenge what he described as a campaign of targeted obstruction. But the court did not agree. CAS upheld Fecafoot’s disciplinary actions and licensing decisions, finding no procedural violations or infringements on Kadji’s rights.

In a stinging conclusion to the case, CAS ordered Kadji to pay 80% of the arbitration costs and reimburse Fecafoot 3,000 Swiss francs (over 2 million CFA francs) in procedural fees.

Fecafoot responded swiftly, with Secretary General Isaac Noé Mandong issuing an official statement expressing satisfaction. “It [Fecafoot] welcomes the most recent decision made on May 7, 2025, regarding the Kadji Sport Academy case,” the statement read.

The ruling is more than a legal win—it is a symbolic affirmation of Eto’o’s reformist vision for Cameroonian football. For many, the clash embodied a broader shift: the fading influence of traditional football powerhouses and the rise of a new generation of administrators determined to revamp the sport’s governance.

The personal history between the two men—Kadji once nurtured a young Eto’o at his academy—heightened the drama of this case. Now, decades later, they stood on opposite sides of a courtroom, emblematic of a sport in transition.

With this decision final, Eto’o and Fecafoot appear firmly in control of their reform agenda, undeterred by internal dissent. The road ahead may still be bumpy, but for now, the federation marches forward, its authority reinforced.