Equatorial Guinea Duo Handed Four-Match Ban for Referee Abuse at Afcon.
Carlos Akapo will be absent for his nation's last group fixture at Afcon 2025.
The National Thunder skipper Carlos Akapo and teammate Josete Miranda have both been banned for four games for verbally attacking the match official following their 1-0 defeat by Sudan at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The ruling was made by a governing body committee after it examined the official's match report from the tournament clash on Sunday, a result that confirmed the team's exit from the tournament.
The official stated that the two players "continually uttered abusive and obscene remarks" towards him and his assistants following the final whistle.
"Such comments were delivered in a context of extreme frustration stemming from the loss, but nevertheless constitute a grave breach of the principles of sportsmanship and fair play as well as the disciplinary regulations," noted the referee.
A portion of the respective suspensions for Akapo and Miranda have been deferred for a period of one calendar year.
Immediate Consequences
Both players will now miss their nation's last tournament fixture against Algeria on Wednesday.
In a related development, the nation's governing body has been penalized a amount of $10,000 after its technical staff and players engaged in "persistent and abusive protests" against decisions by the refereeing team.
The official documentation detailed there was "a progressive deterioration in conduct on the touchline" following an own goal by defender Saul Coco in the second half.
Further Disciplinary Measures
In another incident, the tournament organizers have also penalized Stallions skipper Bertrand Traore the sum of $10,000 for "offensive comments" uttered in a post-game interview after his side's 1-0 loss to Angola.
