Ex-Chelsea star Geremi hit with five-year football ban after Samuel Eto'o row
Former Chelsea star Geremi reportedly irked Cameroon FA chief Samuel Eto'o after a dressing room row during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and he has now been handed a lengthy ban and fine
Former Chelsea star Geremi has been banned from football for five years by Cameroon 's FA and fined £13,000 after a row with president Samuel Eto'o.
The 46-year-old also turned out for clubs such as Real Madrid, Middlesbrough and Newcastle during his days as a footballer before retiring in 2011 - while picking up 118 caps for Cameroon, the joint-second highest in their history.
He has since become the head of Cameroon's players' union Synafoc but in 2023 landed himself in hot water during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations after reportedly having a dressing confrontation with an official of Fecafoot - the country's football association.
Fecafoot chief Eto'o - who played for Chelsea, Barcelona and Inter Milan during his storied career - was reportedly irked by Geremi's behaviour, ordering his former Cameroon team-mate to be removed from the dressing room.
Fecafoot announced Geremi's lengthy ban in a statement after breaking their "code of ethics" and gave him 10 days to appeal.
"We declare Geremi Sorel Njitap, the president of Synafoc, guilty of breaking the behaviour rules of our code of ethics," the statement read.
"We sentence him to a ban from all forms of football activity for five years, and to a fine of 10 million West African francs [£13,000]. He has 10 days to submit a written appeal."
Geremi's associate Daniel Blaise Ngos was also banned in relation to the incident. He has been given a two-year ban and fined £6,500.
According to Foot Boom, Geremi had tried to enter the Cameroon dressing room following their win over Gambia during the tournament, before officials "forcibly removed" him, leading to a "tense" row.
It is believed Geremi will take up his right to appeal against the decision and may even take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Geremi enjoyed plenty of success in his career, winning La Liga and the Champions League twice with Real Madrid, making 76 appearances for Los Blancos
He then joined Chelsea in 2003-04 and won two Premier League titles under Mourinho as he featured 109 times for the Blues, scoring nine times.
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