The former Cameroon and Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o has apologized for what he described as a “violent altercation” on the World Cup on Monday night time. A video on social media presentations the 41-year-old putting a person to the bottom together with his proper knee outdoor Stadium 974 in Doha.
In a observation, Eto’o, the president of his nation’s soccer federation, mentioned he used to be provoked through a fan who used to be “probably” an Algerian supporter as a part of a marketing campaign of harassment after Cameroon’s qualifying win towards Algeria in March.
“After the Brazil-South Korea match, I had a violent altercation with a person who was probably an Algerian supporter,” Eto’o wrote on social media. “I want to make an apology for shedding my mood and reacting in some way that doesn’t fit my character. I make an apology to the general public for this unlucky incident.
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The video first of all presentations Eto’o posing for photos with fanatics outdoor the stadium, which staged the last-16 fit between Brazil and South Korea on Monday. He then reacts to feedback through a person maintaining a digital camera. Eto’o used to be first of all held again through other folks in his entourage however he then were given transparent and kneeled the person, who fell backwards to the bottom.
The guy, the Algerian social media character Saïd Mamouni, revealed a video on YouTube announcing he used to be the one who used to be attacked, and that he used to be at a Qatari police station to record a grievance towards Eto’o.
He mentioned that Eto’o become violent after Mamouni requested him whether or not he had bribed the Gambian referee Bakary Gassama within the debatable World Cup qualifier between Cameroon and Algeria in March. Cameroon gained the second one leg 2–1 within the ultimate moments and certified for the World Cup on away objectives.
Algeria’s soccer federation filed a grievance with Fifa hard a replay on account of what it deemed refereeing mistakes through Gassama. Fifa brushed aside the grievance.
Algeria’s criticism carried over to the Cameroon workforce’s first information convention in Qatar, sooner or later earlier than enjoying Switzerland. An Algerian reporter’s query to Cameroon’s trainer, Rigobert Song, about having “bought qualification” used to be no longer responded.
Eto’o mentioned in his observation: “I pledge to proceed to withstand the relentless provocation and day-to-day harassment of a few Algerian supporters. Indeed, because the Cameroon-Algeria fit on 29 March in Blida, I’ve been the objective of insults and allegations of dishonest with none proof.
“During this World Cup, Cameroonian fanatics were burdened and pestered through Algerians at the identical topic. I want to point out that the situation of Algeria’s defeat used to be merciless however completely in step with the foundations and ethics of our game.
“All the appeals made through the Algerian Football Federation to the competent jurisdictions were rejected. I due to this fact name at the Algerian government and federation to take their obligations to position an finish to this dangerous local weather earlier than a extra critical tragedy happens.
“To Fennecs’ fans, I wish that they find peace and manage to overcome the disappointment of a painful defeat, now behind us.”
Eto’o has been a world ambassador for Qatar’s World Cup organizing committee since 2019.
