Gabon’s government has taken the drastic step of suspending the national football team after a disappointing performance at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The team lost all three of their group games, finishing last in Group F, and were eliminated from the tournament.
The acting sports minister, Simplice-Desire Mamboula, announced that the coaching staff had been sacked and players Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bruno Ecuele Manga would no longer be part of the squad. He said the decision followed what he called the “disgraceful performance” of the Panthers, referring to Gabon’s national team.
Gabon’s campaign had started poorly, with defeats against Cameroon and Mozambique. In their final group game against the defending champions, Ivory Coast, Gabon were 2-0 up before conceding three goals to a second-string Ivorian side, losing 3-2. Neither Aubameyang nor Ecuele Manga played in that match. Aubameyang had returned to Olympique de Marseille for treatment on a thigh injury.
Aubameyang, 36, suggested on social media that the team’s problems ran deeper than individual players. Both he and the 37-year-old Ecuele Manga are unlikely to play for Gabon again.
Disbanding a national team after poor results has been more common in Africa in the past. However, FIFA now takes a firm stance against government interference in football associations, so such actions have become rare.
