National Thunder Duo Issued Multi-Game Suspension for Referee Verbal Assault at Afcon.
Carlos Akapo will be absent for his nation's final group fixture at Afcon 2025.
The National Thunder captain Carlos Akapo and teammate Josete Miranda have each been banned for four games for verbally attacking the match official after their 1-0 defeat by their opponents at the 2025 Afcon.
The decision was made by a governing body committee after it reviewed the official's match report from the Group E clash on Sunday, a result that sealed the team's elimination from the competition.
The official reported that the two players "repeatedly directed insulting and offensive remarks" towards him and his assistants following the final whistle.
"These remarks were made in a context of extreme frustration stemming from the defeat, but nevertheless constitute a serious breach of the principles of sportsmanship and fair play as well as the governing rules," added the official.
A portion of the respective suspensions for Akapo and Miranda have been deferred for a period of one calendar year.
Immediate Consequences
The duo will now miss their team's last tournament fixture against their next opponents on midweek.
Meanwhile, the nation's governing body has been penalized a sum of $10,000 after its coaching team and squad members engaged in "excessive and abusive complaints" against calls by the officials.
The match report detailed there was "a steady decline in conduct on the sidelines" after an unfortunate deflection by Equatorial Guinea defender Saul Coco in the 74th minute.
Additional Governing Body Measures
In another incident, the tournament organizers have also penalized Stallions skipper Bertrand Traore the sum of $10,000 for "inflammatory remarks" made in a post-match media appearance after his team's defeat to their Group E rivals.
