Equatorial Guinea Pair Issued Four-Match Ban for Referee Abuse at Africa Cup of Nations.

Equatorial Guinea captain Carlos Akapo and teammate Josete Miranda have each been banned for four matches for abusing the match official following their narrow loss by Sudan at the 2025 Afcon.

The ruling was made by a governing body committee after it reviewed the referee's report from the tournament encounter on the weekend, a result that confirmed the team's elimination from the tournament.

The referee reported that the two footballers "repeatedly uttered abusive and obscene comments" towards him and his assistants following the final whistle.

"Such comments were made in a context of intense anger stemming from the defeat, but nevertheless represent a grave breach of the standards of respect and fair play as well as the disciplinary regulations," noted the official.

A portion of the individual bans for Akapo and Miranda have been suspended for a term of one year.

Immediate Impact

The duo will now miss their nation's final group match against their next opponents on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the nation's football federation has been fined a amount of $10,000 after its coaching team and players engaged in "excessive and aggressive protests" against decisions by the officials.

The official documentation detailed there was "a steady deterioration in behaviour on the sidelines" following an own goal by Equatorial Guinea defender Saul Coco in the second half.

Further Governing Body Measures

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