Cameroonian press reports have revealed that the Cameroonian Football Federation, led by Samuel Eto’o, is facing a major crisis and serious accusations related to the age falsification of 62 players in recent times.
The website “Afric Foot” reported that there are 62 Cameroonian players facing charges of tampering with their real ages. The list includes 13 players from the Young Sports Academy, 7 from Victoria United, an equal number from Fortuna, and 5 from UMS de Loum. The most prominent name among these is Nathan Douala, a player for Victoria United and a member of Cameroon’s squad in the 2023 African Nations Cup in Ivory Coast. Some press reports described him as the youngest player selected for a national team in the tournament.
A photo of the player from 2021, when his official age was listed as 14, circulated, but the image Douala posted on his Instagram account shows him to appear much older than 14. Reports suggest a strong friendship between Samuel Eto’o and the president of Victoria United, the player’s club, which allegedly facilitated his inclusion in the national team. However, fortunately for Cameroon and to avoid subsequent issues, Douala did not participate in any match during the Lions’ tournament run.
Age falsification is a recurring issue in African football, especially at junior levels, and measures like MRI scans have been introduced by FIFA to tackle this problem. The Cameroonian Football Federation had previously faced similar challenges, and the disqualification of players for age fraud has been a part of their efforts to uphold integrity in the sport.
