Equatorial Guinea Pair Handed Multi-Game Ban for Referee Verbal Assault at Africa Cup of Nations.
The team captain will be absent for his side's last tournament game at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The National Thunder captain Carlos Akapo and teammate Josete Miranda have each been suspended for four matches for verbally attacking the match official after their narrow loss by their opponents at the 2025 Afcon.
The decision was handed down by a disciplinary panel after it reviewed the referee's report from the tournament encounter on the weekend, a result that sealed the side's elimination from the tournament.
The official stated that the two players "continually directed abusive and obscene remarks" towards him and his linesmen after the final whistle.
"Such comments were delivered in a atmosphere of extreme anger related to the loss, but nevertheless represent a grave breach of the principles of respect and conduct as well as the governing rules," added the referee.
Two matches of the individual bans for Akapo and Miranda have been deferred for a term of one year.
Tournament Consequences
Both players will now miss their nation's last tournament fixture against Algeria on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the country's football federation has been fined a sum of ten thousand dollars after its coaching team and players engaged in "persistent and aggressive complaints" against calls by the refereeing team.
The match report indicated there was "a progressive decline in behaviour on the sidelines" following an unfortunate deflection by defender Saul Coco in the second half.
Additional Governing Body Action
Elsewhere, the continental body have additionally penalized Burkina Faso captain Bertrand Traore the amount of ten thousand dollars for "inflammatory comments" uttered in a post-game media appearance after his team's defeat to their Group E rivals.
