On Monday, January 10, 2022, the new president of the Cameroonian Football Federation, Samuel Eto'o, publicly apologized on Algerian television following a knife attack against three Algerian journalists in the Cameroonian city of Douala on Sunday. The former striker said, "Dear journalist colleagues, I sincerely apologize to you because some of our brothers were assaulted in Douala." He continued, "I humbly ask you to inform those brothers that we ask for forgiveness. This is not in line with Cameroonian hospitality. Please tell them they are in their country." He added, "We ask the Cameroonian authorities to ensure that our brothers feel safe here, just as they would in Algeria."
Three Algerian journalists covering the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon were attacked with a weapon, with one sustaining minor injuries, as announced by the Algerian and African Football Federations on Monday. The Algerian Federation condemned the "cowardly attack" in a statement, mentioning that "one of these journalists who suffered minor injuries was taken to a medical facility for treatment." The Algerian Federation revealed that "mobile phones and one passport were stolen," expressing its "shock at this incident."
