March 19 – Gabon have withdrawn its central defender Gilchrist Nguema from its final Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Burundi after it was discovered he is not registered with any club.
The 22-year-old was listed as playing for Macau Benfica but Gabon’s Football Federation (Fegafoot) says Nguema is not currently attached to any club.
“After a thorough investigation, it appears that the player who is currently staying in Gabon, has been without a club for a few months now,” Fegafoot said in a statement.
“The national team is not a field of experimentation. The President of Fegafoot reminds the various national coaches of all categories that they have the obligation to select players in good shape to avoid desecrating the principles of performance and prestige that should govern the national teams.”
Gabon must defeat Burundi to reach this year’s finals in Egypt.
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