Gabon Reinstates Aubameyang and Ecuele Manga to National Team

In Rabat, Morocco, the Gabonese Football Federation announced on Monday that star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and defender Bruno Ecuele Manga have been reinstated to the national team, lifting government-imposed exclusions following Gabon's dismal performance at the Africa Cup of Nations.

The decision reverses measures enacted after the team's early exit from the tournament, hosted in Morocco. Gabon finished last in Group F, suffering 1-0 defeats to Cameroon and Mozambique before losing 1-0 to Ivory Coast in their final match on December 31. The squad failed to secure a single victory, prompting swift backlash from the government.

Interim Sports Minister Simplice-Désiré Mamboula declared the sanctions on national television immediately after the Ivory Coast game. These included the suspension of the entire national team, the dismissal of head coach Thierry Mouyouma and his staff, and the specific exclusion of Aubameyang and Ecuele Manga from future selections. The federation confirmed that while the player exclusions and team suspension have now been lifted, Mouyouma and his assistants remain removed from their positions.

The reinstatement comes amid a cabinet reshuffle,...