Gabon’s government has taken the astonishing step of suspending the entire national team and banning star striker Pierre Emerick Aubameyang after their disastrous Africa Cup of Nations campaign. The drastic move, announced by the country’s sports minister, also sees the entire coaching staff sacked with immediate effect.
The Panthers crashed out of AFCON bottom of their group, with a last gasp 3-2 defeat to Ivory Coast on Wednesday capping a miserable three losses from three games. It’s a humiliating exit for a side that boasts one of Africa’s most famous names in Aubameyang. “Given the Panthers’ disgraceful performance at the AFCON, the government has decided to dissolve the technical staff, suspend the national team until further notice, and remove players Bruno Ecuele Manga and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang,” Minister Simplice Desire Mamboula stated on national television.
The decision follows a full review by the Council of Ministers after an earlier shock 3-2 loss to 102nd ranked Mozambique sealed their fate. Aubameyang had already returned to his club, Marseille, citing a thigh injury after that match. The fallout has struck a nerve at the highest level, with President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema declaring the team’s showing had “weakened part of our national identity.” He pointed to a “lack of method” and “dispersion of resources,” promising “strong and structural decisions.”
The minister’s announcement video was briefly pulled from official channels late Wednesday before being re published Thursday, suggesting internal confusion. But the message is clear: the state has lost patience. Veteran defender Bruno Ecuele Manga, 35, joins 34 year old Aubameyang in being singled out for removal, signalling a brutal end to an era.
This heavy handed intervention, however, could land Gabon in serious hot water with FIFA. World football’s governing body strictly prohibits government interference in national football associations, and suspensions from all international football are a common punishment. For now, Gabon’s football future is in limbo. The government wants a reset, but they might have just kicked an own goal that leaves the national side sidelined for a long time to come.
