Cameroon: Samuel Eto’o rebels against an RFI article | Africa Foot United

The President of the Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT) has written a right of reply to protest against an article published on the website of Radio France Internationale (RFI). He highlighted the unorthodox practices of Cameroonian footballers as major competitions approach.

On October 6, Radio France Internationale published an article entitled “World Cup 2022: when football and mysticism come together in Cameroon” in which it was developed, with sometimes anonymous testimonies, obscure and occult practices of Cameroonian footballers in the approaching major competitions or major matches. The national selection of Cameroon is presented in the article as a high place of experimentation in witchcraft.

“Within the Indomitable Lions, we don’t trifle with witchcraft, even when it requires certain practices that could shock the general public. According to a certain custom, to make a good run during an international competition, you have to surround yourself with the best marabouts, traditional healers and private healers. Thus, in addition to physical training, mystical practices are said to be able to improve agility and increase player efficiency,” the article reads.

These maneuvers of witchcraft would be known and maintained by the Cameroonian authorities. “The places are going to sell very expensive to participate in the World Cup and therefore everyone is putting the odds on their side. There is what is called psychological preparation here. Which in reality means the recourse to mystical practices. I was able to chat with some players and even supervisors and I know that there are regularly at nightfall, a certain number of sacrifices, at the Ahmadou-Ahidjo stadium. One slaughters oxen, one sprinkles the blood of these oxen on the players. All to satisfy the ancestors so that they provide their support. But frankly, you can’t just from an incantation think that you’re going to win a football match, it’s ridiculous. For me it’s stupidity because the prescriptions of the marabouts are not always successful”, testifies in the paper, Jean Bruno Tagne, a famous Cameroonian Sports Journalist and Author.

This account was obviously not appreciated at FECAFOOT. The boss of the Cameroonian football umbrella committed a right of reply this Saturday to the attention of the President and CEO of the French media, Marie-Christine Saragosse, in which he refutes the facts presented in the article. “Madam President and CEO, the spread of hackneyed cliches and the use of disrespectful amalgams are unpleasant to the ears but are the lot of the freedom of expression to which I am attached, as much for its advantages as for its disadvantages. However, a problem arises when the article reads defamatory statements and dubious allegations disguised as credibility. The anthology of anonymous quotes and indefinite adjectives only deceives readers in bad faith,” writes Samuel Eto’o.

The former captain of the Indomitable Lions also demands from RFI that his right of reply be published on the RFI website where the disputed article is still available. “I formally deny the content of this article and challenge the journalists of your editorial staff to prove their allegations. And I demand that this response be published in full on your media’s website under section 13 of the Freedom of the Press Act 1881,” he concludes.

🔴🔴 #URGENT

Right of reply of the #FECAFOOT at @RFIAfrique @RFI @RFIsports @RFIRadioFoot pic.twitter.com/ak3pDcOexo

– Fecafoot-Officiel (@FecafootOfficie) October 8, 2022