A storm is brewing in Cameroonian football as legendary former defender Geremi Njitap has been handed a five-year ban from all football-related activities by the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT). The sanction, delivered by the federation’s ethics committee, also includes a fine of 10 million CFA francs (approx. $16,500).

The ban stems from a heated incident during Cameroon’s group stage match against The Gambia at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire. According to reports, Geremi was involved in a confrontation with an associate of FECAFOOT president Samuel Eto’o, which allegedly led to his forcible removal from the stadium by security personnel, acting under federation orders.

FECAFOOT’s ethics panel ruled that Geremi, 46, violated the federation’s code of conduct. The decision has escalated the already simmering tensions between two of Cameroon’s most celebrated football icons—Geremi and Eto’o—both of whom enjoyed glittering international and club careers.

Now serving as the president of Synafoc, Cameroon’s players’ union, Geremi is expected to appeal the decision within 10 days and is considering escalating the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland.