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YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — It was a surprise when Samuel Eto'o announced he was standing as a candidate to be president of the Cameroon soccer federation. And even more of a shock when he won last December. The former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker has now set himself the task of fixing his country's broken domestic soccer structure. Over the last decade it has been bedeviled by government interference, allegations of corruption and unkept promises from soccer leaders. Underpaid and sometimes unpaid players have lost faith. But the 41-year-old Eto'o has brought new optimism that things can be turned around. Top-tier player Frank Abianda says Eto'o "has ignited hope in us."
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