National Thunder Pair Issued Four-Match Suspension for Referee Verbal Assault at Africa Cup of Nations.

The National Thunder captain Carlos Akapo and fellow squad member Josete Miranda have each been banned for four games for verbally attacking the match official after their 1-0 defeat by their opponents at the 2025 Afcon.

The decision was handed down by a disciplinary panel after it examined the official's match report from the Group E encounter on Sunday, a loss that sealed the team's exit from the tournament.

The official stated that the two players "repeatedly directed insulting and obscene remarks" towards him and his assistants following the full-time whistle.

"Such comments were made in a context of intense anger related to the loss, but nevertheless represent a serious breach of the standards of sportsmanship and fair play as well as the disciplinary regulations," added the referee.

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

Immediate Consequences

Both players will now miss their team's final group match against their next opponents on Wednesday.

In a related development, the nation's football federation has been fined a amount of ten thousand dollars after its coaching team and players engaged in "persistent and aggressive complaints" against calls by the officials.

The match report detailed there was "a steady deterioration in conduct on the sidelines" after an unfortunate deflection by defender Saul Coco in the second half.

Further Disciplinary Action

Elsewhere, the continental body have also fined Stallions skipper Bertrand Traore the sum of ten thousand dollars for "inflammatory remarks" made in a post-match interview after his side's 1-0 loss to Angola.