Equatorial Guinea Pair Handed Multi-Game Suspension for Referee Verbal Assault at Africa Cup of Nations.
The team captain will miss his side's final group game at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The National Thunder skipper Carlos Akapo and fellow squad member Josete Miranda have each been banned for four games for verbally attacking the referee following their 1-0 defeat by Sudan at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The decision was made by a governing body committee after it reviewed the referee's report from the tournament clash on the weekend, a loss that confirmed the side's elimination from the tournament.
The referee reported that the two players "repeatedly directed abusive and offensive comments" towards him and his assistants after the final whistle.
"These remarks were delivered in a atmosphere of intense frustration related to the loss, but nonetheless represent a serious breach of the principles of respect and fair play as well as the governing rules," noted the referee.
Two matches of the respective bans for Akapo and Miranda have been deferred for a period of one year.
Tournament Impact
The duo will now miss their nation's last tournament fixture against Algeria on midweek.
In a related development, the country's governing body has been penalized a amount of ten thousand dollars after its technical staff and players engaged in "excessive and abusive protests" against decisions by the officials.
The match report indicated there was "a steady deterioration in behaviour on the sidelines" after an unfortunate deflection by Equatorial Guinea defender Saul Coco in the second half.
Additional Governing Body Action
In another incident, the continental body have also penalized Stallions skipper Bertrand Traore the sum of $10,000 for "inflammatory remarks" made in a post-match interview after his team's defeat to their Group E rivals.
