Cameroon investigates allegations of World Cup match-fixing by ‘7 bad apples’ in team

RIO DE JANEIRO – Cameroon’s football federation said it will investigate allegations of match-fixing by its team at the World Cup and the possible existence of “seven bad apples” in the squad.

Fecafoot said in a statement late Monday it had instructed its own ethics committee to open an investigation, although it added it had not yet been contacted by FIFA, the sport’s global governing body.

Cameroon was eliminated after losing all three of its group-stage matches at the World Cup: 1-0 to Mexico, 4-0 to Croatia and 4-1 to host Brazil.

“Recent allegations of fraud around Cameroon’s three 2014 FIFA World Cup preliminary games, especially Cameroon vs. Croatia, as well as the ‘existence of seven bad apples (in our national team)’ do not reflect the values and principles promotes by our administration in line with the FIFA Code of Conduct and the ethics of our nation,” Fecafoot said in the statement.

“We wish to inform the general public that, though not contacted by FIFA in regards to this affair, our administration has already instructed its ethics committee to further investigate these accusations.”

Cameroon had a disastrous World Cup, conceding nine goals and scoring just one in its three games.

The Croatia match was also marred by an argument between Cameroon teammates Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Benjamin Moukandjo that ended with Assou-Ekotto head-butting his teammate.

Fecafoot has already launched a disciplinary investigation into the behaviour of its players in the Croatia game.

“We are strongly committed to employ all means necessary to resolve this disruptive matter,” the federation said of the investigation and the match-fixing allegations.