A former Newcastle United captain has been suspended from ‘all forms of football activity for five years’.
Former Newcastle United midfielder Geremi has received a football ban from the Cameroon FA following a spat with president Samuel Eto'o.
Joining Newcastle in 2007, Geremi was immediately handed captaincy by new manager Sam Allardyce but neither the armband or Allardyce lasted. When Geremi returned from the African Cup of Nations in January, Kevin Keegan was back at the helm.
Like Allardyce, Keegan’s second homecoming as boss didn’t last after the signings of Xisco and Nacho Gonzalez, without his approval, caused a major fallout. Joe Kinnear, Chris Hughton and Alan Shearer all went on to have spells in the hot seat during a chaotic 2008-09 campaign that ended in relegation.
Geremi remained at St James’ Park for the first-half of the Championship title-winning campaign before joining Turkish side MKE Ankaraguc. A short spell at Greek club Athlitiki Enosi Larissa marked the end of his 16-year playing career.
Former Newcastle United captain Geremi handed five-year ban by Cameroon FA
Since hanging up his boots, the 46-year-old had served on the National Union of Footballers of Cameroon (Synafoc) but he has now been handed a lengthy ban following a dispute with Eto’o.
The incident dates back to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations when Geremi is said to have been involved with a member of Eto’o’s staff. According to Foot Boom, Geremi had tried to enter the Cameroon dressing room following their win over Gambia before officials "forcibly removed" him, leading to a "tense" row.
Cameroon chief Eto'o was reportedly irked by Geremi's behaviour, ordering his former international teammate to be removed from the dressing room.
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A statement from the FeCafoot ethics committee read: “We declare Geremi Sorel Njitap, the president of Synafoc, guilty of breaking the behaviour rules of our code of ethics. We sentence him to a ban from all forms of football activity for five years, and to a fine of ten million West African francs [£13,000]. He has ten days to submit a written appeal."
Geremi is expected to appeal the decision amid suggestions he could take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in an attempt to reduce or remove his ban and fine.
He wasn’t the only person who received a punishment. His assistant Daniel Blaise Ngos was hit with a two-year ban and issued a £6,500 fine for the role he played in the row.
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