🔗 Share this article National Thunder Pair Handed Multi-Game Suspension for Official Verbal Assault at Afcon. The team captain will be absent for his side's final tournament game at Afcon 2025. The National Thunder captain Carlos Akapo and teammate Josete Miranda have each been suspended for four games for abusing the match official after their 1-0 defeat by their opponents 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 Group E clash on Sunday, a result that confirmed the team's elimination from the competition. The official reported that the two players "continually uttered abusive and offensive comments" towards him and his assistants following the full-time whistle. "These remarks were made in a atmosphere of intense frustration related to the loss, but nevertheless represent a grave violation of the principles of respect and fair play as well as the disciplinary regulations," added the official. Two matches of the individual suspensions for Akapo and Miranda have been suspended for a period of one calendar year. Tournament Consequences Both players will be unavailable for their nation's last tournament fixture against their next opponents on midweek. Meanwhile, the country's football federation has been fined a sum of ten thousand dollars after its coaching team and players engaged in "persistent and abusive complaints" against decisions by the refereeing team. The match report indicated there was "a steady decline in behaviour on the touchline" after an unfortunate deflection by defender Saul Coco in the second half. Further Governing Body Action In another incident, the tournament organizers have additionally penalized Stallions skipper Bertrand Traore the sum of ten thousand dollars for "inflammatory remarks" uttered in a post-match media appearance after his team's 1-0 loss to Angola.
The team captain will be absent for his side's final tournament game at Afcon 2025. The National Thunder captain Carlos Akapo and teammate Josete Miranda have each been suspended for four games for abusing the match official after their 1-0 defeat by their opponents 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 Group E clash on Sunday, a result that confirmed the team's elimination from the competition. The official reported that the two players "continually uttered abusive and offensive comments" towards him and his assistants following the full-time whistle. "These remarks were made in a atmosphere of intense frustration related to the loss, but nevertheless represent a grave violation of the principles of respect and fair play as well as the disciplinary regulations," added the official. Two matches of the individual suspensions for Akapo and Miranda have been suspended for a period of one calendar year. Tournament Consequences Both players will be unavailable for their nation's last tournament fixture against their next opponents on midweek. Meanwhile, the country's football federation has been fined a sum of ten thousand dollars after its coaching team and players engaged in "persistent and abusive complaints" against decisions by the refereeing team. The match report indicated there was "a steady decline in behaviour on the touchline" after an unfortunate deflection by defender Saul Coco in the second half. Further Governing Body Action In another incident, the tournament organizers have additionally penalized Stallions skipper Bertrand Traore the sum of ten thousand dollars for "inflammatory remarks" uttered in a post-match media appearance after his team's 1-0 loss to Angola.