Gabon government suspends national football team; sacks the management and star players like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after a "disgraceful" exit from AFCON

The Gabonese government has suspended its national team until further notice. (Image credits – CommonsWikipedia, Licence Details)

Gabon’s government has officially announced the suspension of the national football team indefinitely. The authorities have also sacked the coach, Thierry Mouyouma, defender Bruno Manga, and skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after getting kicked out from the group stages of AFCON with three defeats.

Simplice-Désiré Mamboula, the sports minister of Gabon, officially announced this decision on live television, labelling the national team's performance as a disgrace to the whole country.

“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,” said the minister in his official statement. (sic)

Gabon had already been knocked out after being defeated in the first two games against Cameroon and Mozambique. However, losing to Ivory Coast in their final game despite leading by two goals to nil until halftime sealed the national team's fate.

Senior players Aubameyang and Ecuele Manga didn't feature in the final game, which ultimately led to their sacking alongside the coach. 

Aubameyang responded on his X account, tweeting, “I think the team’s problems are much deeper than the individual I am.”

This news has completely shocked the football fraternity, as FIFA strictly prohibits interference from governments in matters involving the sport. It used to be a common occurrence before in the African subcontinent, but now it has come as a shock.

Gabon have never won the AFCON, and their best run was back in 2012, when they reached the quarter-final stages of the tournament, when the Panthers were the hosts.

This move from the Gabon government could lead to massive trouble for the nation's football association, as FIFA might potentially ban them forever from the world football governing body, which would mean they would no longer be able to participate in the FIFA World Cup or even the AFCON.