Gabon Fires Coaches, Suspends National Team after AFCON Disappointment
Gabon Fires Coaches, Suspend National Team After AFCON Disappointment – Gabon’s government has taken drastic action following the country’s disappointing campaign at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), announcing the suspension of the national football team, the dismissal of the technical staff and the exclusion of senior players, including star forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The announcement was made on national television by Gabon’s Acting Minister of Sports, Simplice-Désiré Mamboula, after the Panthers finished bottom of their group and were eliminated from the tournament in Morocco. Gabon suffered three defeats, the latest being a 3–2 loss to Côte d’Ivoire in Marrakech on Wednesday.
“Given the Panthers’ disgraceful performance at the Africa Cup of Nations, the government has decided to dissolve the coaching staff, suspend the national team until further notice, and exclude players Bruno Ecuele Manga and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang,” Mamboula said.
ALSO READ: Nigerian Woman Returns N$330 Million Mistakenly Credited to Her Bank Account
Gabon, coached by former international defender Thierry Mouyouma, had already been knocked out of the competition after losses to Cameroon and Mozambique in their opening Group F matches. In their final game, they surrendered a 2–0 lead against the defending champions Côte d’Ivoire, eventually losing to an Ivorian side that fielded several fringe players.
Neither Aubameyang (36) nor veteran defender Bruno Ecuele Manga (37) featured in the final match. Aubameyang had earlier returned to his French club, Marseille, to receive treatment for a thigh injury.
Reacting to the decision, the former African Footballer of the Year suggested that the problems facing the national team go beyond individual players. “I think the team’s problems are much deeper than the individual I am,” Aubameyang posted on social media platform X.
While disbanding or suspending national teams was once common in Africa after poor results, such actions have become rare in recent years. FIFA has repeatedly warned against government interference in football administration, often threatening sanctions against offending associations.
