The Gabonese government has announced the suspension of the country’s national football team, the dismissal of the entire coaching crew, and the banning of veteran players Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bruno Ecuele Manga following Gabon’s disappointing outing at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The decision was disclosed by Gabon’s Minister of Sports, Simplice-Desire Mamboula, after the Panthers suffered a dramatic 3–2 defeat to defending champions Ivory Coast on Wednesday, courtesy of an injury-time winner by Bazoumana Toure. The loss sealed Gabon’s third consecutive defeat at the tournament, leaving them bottom of Group F behind Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Mozambique.
“Considering the disgraceful performance of the Panthers at the AFCON, the government has decided to dissolve the technical staff, suspend the national team until further notice, and exclude players Bruno Ecuele Manga and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang,” Mamboula said in a televised address late Wednesday.
Hours after the announcement, the video clip was removed from the ministry’s official platforms and the broadcaster’s online channels, before resurfacing again on Thursday.
Gabon’s poor campaign had earlier drawn sharp criticism following a 3–2 loss to 102nd-ranked Mozambique on Sunday, a result that confirmed their elimination from the competition. The team’s performance was subsequently reviewed by the Council of Ministers.
Aubameyang had already returned to his French club, Marseille, after the Mozambique defeat due to a reported thigh injury.
Reacting to the situation, President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema described the national team’s performance as damaging to the country’s image.
“This has weakened part of our national identity,” the president said in a statement released on Wednesday. “The national team reveals two major issues: a lack of method and a dispersion of resources.”
He vowed to implement “strong and structural measures” aimed at restoring discipline, accountability and ambition in the management of national sports.
However, the government’s actions could attract sanctions from FIFA, which strictly prohibits political interference in the administration of football by its member associations.
