Gabon has lifted the sanctions placed on the national football team and striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after the country’s unsatisfactory showing at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
The Panthers ended last in Group F, leading then-Sports Minister Simplice-Desire Mamboula to suspend the team, dismiss coach Thierry Mouyouma, and remove Aubameyang and captain Bruno Ecuele Manga from the national squad on January 1. Mamboula labeled the team’s performance as “shameful.”
As reported by BBC Sport on Tuesday, new Sports Minister Paul Ulrich Kessany lifted the sanctions on Monday, preventing a possible FIFA suspension of the Gabonese Football Federation (Fegafoot) because of government interference, a rule FIFA has rigorously upheld in recent years.
Fegafoot stated that Kessany mentioned imminent deadlines, such as the qualification draw for the 2027 AFCON, and urged the federation to outline strategies for selecting a new technical team to succeed Mouyouma.
“Fegafoot welcomes the positive outcome of the situation,” the federation said.
The choice paves the way for Aubameyang’s possible comeback to the Gabon squad and indicates a shift towards stabilizing Gabonese football before future international events.
