National Thunder Duo Handed Multi-Game Suspension for Official Verbal Assault at Afcon.

The National Thunder captain Carlos Akapo and fellow squad member Josete Miranda have both been banned for four games for abusing the match official after their 1-0 defeat by their opponents at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

The decision was made by a disciplinary panel after it reviewed the official's match report from the tournament encounter on Sunday, a result that confirmed the side's elimination from the competition.

The official stated that the two players "repeatedly uttered abusive and offensive remarks" towards him and his assistants after the final whistle.

"These remarks were delivered in a atmosphere of intense anger stemming from the loss, but nevertheless constitute a grave violation of the principles of respect and fair play as well as the governing rules," added the referee.

Two matches of the individual suspensions for Akapo and Miranda have been deferred for a term of one calendar year.

Immediate Impact

The duo will now miss their team's last tournament fixture against their next opponents on midweek.

In a related development, the country's governing body has been penalized a amount of ten thousand dollars after its coaching team and squad members engaged in "excessive and abusive protests" against decisions by the officials.

The match report detailed there was "a steady deterioration in behaviour on the touchline" after an own goal by Equatorial Guinea defender Saul Coco in the second half.

Additional Governing Body Action

Elsewhere, the continental body have additionally penalized Burkina Faso captain Bertrand Traore the sum of ten thousand dollars for "inflammatory comments" made in a post-game media appearance after his side's defeat to their Group E rivals.