Aubameyang banned as Gabon government suspend national team

Gabon's sports minister has declared that experienced players Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bruno Ecuele Manga are banned, the entire national team is suspended, and the coaching team has been dismissed after the Panthers' poor results at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

A last-minute goal from Bazoumana Toure led to a 3-2 loss for Gabon against the title holders Ivory Coast during the AFCON on Wednesday.

This marked their third straight loss in the group stage, placing them last in Group F behind powerhouses Ivory Coast and Cameroon, as well as Mozambique.

"In light of the Panthers' shameful display at the AFCON, the government has chosen to disband the technical team, halt the national squad indefinitely, and exclude players Bruno Ecuele Manga and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang," stated minister Simplice-Desire Mamboula on Gabonese TV late Wednesday.

Shortly after airing, the announcement video was taken down from the ministry's official sites and the broadcaster's online pages, only to reappear on Thursday.

The Council's of Ministers examined the national team's efforts at the Africa Cup of Nations after the 3-2 setback to 102nd-placed Mozambique on Sunday, which eliminated Gabon from the knockout rounds.

Following that match, Aubameyang went back to his club Marseille in France because of a thigh injury.

"This situation has undermined aspects of our national character," remarked Gabon's President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema on Monday, according to an official release issued Wednesday.

"The national squad reveals two key issues: insufficient organisation and scattered efforts," he continued.

The president vowed to implement "firm and foundational measures" aimed at "reinstating discipline, accountability, and drive in the management of national sports".

Nevertheless, this might put Gabon at odds with FIFA, the global football authority, which prohibits governmental meddling in the operations of its affiliated organisations.