🔗 Share this article National Thunder Pair Handed Four-Match Suspension for Official Abuse at Afcon. Carlos Akapo will miss his side's last group fixture at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The National Thunder skipper Carlos Akapo and teammate Josete Miranda have each been suspended for four games for verbally attacking the referee following their 1-0 defeat by Sudan at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The ruling was handed down by a governing body committee after it reviewed the official's match report from the Group E encounter on Sunday, a loss that confirmed the team's exit from the competition. The official stated that the two players "continually directed insulting and offensive comments" towards him and his assistants following the final whistle. "These remarks were delivered in a context of intense frustration stemming from the loss, but nevertheless represent a serious violation of the standards of sportsmanship and conduct as well as the governing rules," noted the official. Two matches of the respective bans for Akapo and Miranda have been deferred for a term of one calendar year. Tournament Impact Both players will now miss their nation's final group match against their next opponents on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the nation's football federation has been penalized a sum of ten thousand dollars after its technical staff and squad members engaged in "persistent and aggressive complaints" against decisions by the officials. The official documentation detailed there was "a steady deterioration in behaviour on the sidelines" after an unfortunate deflection by defender Saul Coco in the 74th minute. Further Governing Body Measures In another incident, the tournament organizers have also fined Burkina Faso captain Bertrand Traore the amount of ten thousand dollars for "inflammatory comments" uttered in a post-game media appearance following his team's 1-0 loss to their Group E rivals.
Carlos Akapo will miss his side's last group fixture at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The National Thunder skipper Carlos Akapo and teammate Josete Miranda have each been suspended for four games for verbally attacking the referee following their 1-0 defeat by Sudan at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The ruling was handed down by a governing body committee after it reviewed the official's match report from the Group E encounter on Sunday, a loss that confirmed the team's exit from the competition. The official stated that the two players "continually directed insulting and offensive comments" towards him and his assistants following the final whistle. "These remarks were delivered in a context of intense frustration stemming from the loss, but nevertheless represent a serious violation of the standards of sportsmanship and conduct as well as the governing rules," noted the official. Two matches of the respective bans for Akapo and Miranda have been deferred for a term of one calendar year. Tournament Impact Both players will now miss their nation's final group match against their next opponents on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the nation's football federation has been penalized a sum of ten thousand dollars after its technical staff and squad members engaged in "persistent and aggressive complaints" against decisions by the officials. The official documentation detailed there was "a steady deterioration in behaviour on the sidelines" after an unfortunate deflection by defender Saul Coco in the 74th minute. Further Governing Body Measures In another incident, the tournament organizers have also fined Burkina Faso captain Bertrand Traore the amount of ten thousand dollars for "inflammatory comments" uttered in a post-game media appearance following his team's 1-0 loss to their Group E rivals.