SAN FRANCISCO, December 09, (THEWILL) – Gabon and Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been slammed with a $10,000 fine for his social media posts that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) said tarnished the “honour and image” of CAF after his Gabon team spent the night on a Gambian airport floor ahead of an African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier in November.
THEWILL earlier reported how the Panthers of Gabon spent close to six hours at the airport in the Gambia after arriving for a qualifying game with some exhausted players resorting to lying down on the hard airport floor. They were not allowed to leave as officials argued over COVID-19 testing.
Aubameyang, who is captain of the Panthers, posted pictures of his teammates on the airport floor with the words: “Nice job CAF, it’s as if we were back in the 1990s.”
He later added: “This will not demotivate us but people need to know and CAF need to take responsibility. (It is) 2020 and we want Africa to grow but this is not how we will get there.”
However, the continental body’s disciplinary committee concluded that the content of the striker’s posts were offensive and degrading.
“Mr. Pierre Emerick Emiliano Francois Aubameyang has publicly published offensive and degrading material that undermines the honour and image of the Confederation of African Football.
“In terms of the Caf Statutes & Regulations, in terms of Articles 10, 11, 43.1, 46, 82 of the Disciplinary Code, the Caf disciplinary board decided to impose a fine of 10,000 USD for breach of the values of sportsmanship and integrity on the Gabonese Football Federation for the regrettable behaviour of the player.”
CAF also fined Gambia’s FA $100,000, half of which was suspended for 24 months.
“The Gambian federation did not comply to the loyalty, integrity and sportsmanship values and rules of fair play concerning the reception of the Gabonese delegation,” CAF statement read.
Gabon arrived shortly before midnight and were only allowed to go their hotel over five hours later. They lost 2-1 to Gambia later that day.
Aubameyang can choose to challenge the fine before the Confederation’s Appeal Board within the next three days.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
