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Johannesburg - Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o hopes the Soccer World Cup in South Africa will eradicate racism in football.
Eto'o has been the subject of racial abuse whilst playing for Inter Milan in Italy and at former side Barcelona in Spain.
But with the World Cup being played on African soil for the first ever time, the 29-year-old believes the problem may be reduced.
He told The Guardian: "It has never been easy and until the end of my career it won't be easy.
"But maybe this World Cup, being the first in Africa, can change attitudes. I hope so but I suffered a lot in Italy this year.
"So it's not just one country where there is racism. But to obtain these rewards you have to go through that.
"And that's why it's incredible we're playing in the country where my idol, Madiba (Nelson Mandela), lives."
On his own experiences in Spain, Eto'o added: "When I played against Real Zaragoza they chanted like monkeys and threw peanuts on the pitch.
"So when I scored I danced in front of them like a monkey.
"When the same thing happened against Real Madrid I scored and held my fist in a Black Power salute."
Cameroon have been drawn in Group E for the World Cup alongside Denmark, Japan and Holland.
Eto'o has been the subject of racial abuse whilst playing for Inter Milan in Italy and at former side Barcelona in Spain.
But with the World Cup being played on African soil for the first ever time, the 29-year-old believes the problem may be reduced.
He told The Guardian: "It has never been easy and until the end of my career it won't be easy.
"But maybe this World Cup, being the first in Africa, can change attitudes. I hope so but I suffered a lot in Italy this year.
"So it's not just one country where there is racism. But to obtain these rewards you have to go through that.
"And that's why it's incredible we're playing in the country where my idol, Madiba (Nelson Mandela), lives."
On his own experiences in Spain, Eto'o added: "When I played against Real Zaragoza they chanted like monkeys and threw peanuts on the pitch.
"So when I scored I danced in front of them like a monkey.
"When the same thing happened against Real Madrid I scored and held my fist in a Black Power salute."
Cameroon have been drawn in Group E for the World Cup alongside Denmark, Japan and Holland.
