National Thunder Duo Handed Multi-Game Suspension for Referee Verbal Assault at Africa Cup of Nations.
Carlos Akapo will miss his nation's final tournament game at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The National Thunder captain Carlos Akapo and teammate Josete Miranda have both been banned for four games for abusing the referee following their narrow loss by their opponents at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The ruling was made by a disciplinary panel after it examined the referee's report from the Group E clash on Sunday, a loss that sealed the team's elimination from the competition.
The referee stated that the two players "repeatedly directed abusive and obscene remarks" towards him and his assistants following the final whistle.
"These remarks were delivered in a atmosphere of extreme anger stemming from the defeat, but nonetheless constitute a grave breach of the standards of sportsmanship and fair play as well as the governing rules," noted the official.
Two matches of the individual suspensions for the two players have been deferred for a period of one calendar year.
Tournament Consequences
The duo will now miss their team's final tournament fixture against their next opponents on midweek.
Meanwhile, the nation's football federation has been fined a sum of ten thousand dollars after its coaching team and players engaged in "excessive and abusive complaints" against decisions by the refereeing team.
The match report indicated there was "a steady decline in behaviour on the sidelines" following an unfortunate deflection by defender Saul Coco in the second half.
Further Governing Body Measures
In another incident, the tournament organizers have additionally fined Burkina Faso captain Bertrand Traore the amount of $10,000 for "offensive remarks" uttered in a post-game interview after his side's 1-0 loss to Angola.
