Equatorial Guinea Players Suspended for Referee Abuse
Equatorial Guinea captain Carlos Akapo and teammate Josete Miranda have been suspended for four matches due to abusive behavior towards the referee following their 1-0 loss to Sudan in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
The suspension was imposed by a disciplinary panel of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) after reviewing the referee's report from the Group E match on Sunday, which resulted in the National Thunder being eliminated from the tournament.
Referee Messie Jessie Nkounkou Mvoutou reported that the two players "repeatedly uttered insulting and obscene remarks" directed at him and his assistants after the final whistle.
He noted that while the remarks stemmed from intense frustration over the defeat, they nonetheless represented a serious violation of the principles of respect and fair play, as well as Caf's disciplinary regulations.
Two of the four-match bans for Akapo and Miranda have been suspended for one year.
Consequently, both players will be unavailable for the National Thunder's final group match against Algeria on Wednesday at 16:00 GMT.
In related news, Equatorial Guinea's football federation (Feguifut) has been fined $10,000 (£7,435) for the "excessive and abusive protests" made by its technical staff and players against the officials' decisions.
Mvoutou's report highlighted a "progressive deterioration in behavior on the sidelines" after Equatorial Guinea defender Saul Coco scored an own goal in the 74th minute.
Additionally, Caf has fined Burkina Faso captain Bertrand Traore $10,000 (£7,435) for making "offensive remarks" during a post-match interview following the Stallions' 1-0 defeat to Angola in Group E on Sunday.