Governing Bodies
ARSENAL CLOSE DOOR ON FURTHER AUBAMEYANG’S PLAY FOR GABON AFTER AIRPORT HORROR
Premiership side, Arsenal have been left furious by the way Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was treated while away on international duty with Gabon, with the national team manager believing their star striker could be blocked from future call-ups.
According to Daily Mail, the Arsenal forward revealed through a series of pictures on social media how he and the rest of Gabon squad were forced to sleep on the floor after arriving at Banjul International Airport in Gambia on Monday morning.
After having their passports taken, Aubameyang revealed that he and his team-mates were made to feel like ‘hostages’ before being allowed into the country six hours later for their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Gambia.
The incident sparked an investigation by African football’s governing body into the hold up, which left Arsenal furious with how their talismanic striker had been treated.
Gabon boss Patrice Neveu now believes that the incident will see Arsenal prevent Aubameyang from representing his country again – and he expects the same from other players’ clubs.
Neveu told reporters on Wednesday: ‘Arsenal called Pierre-Emerick. After seeing him in those conditions, it’s over… They won’t let him come again, and it will be the same for players from other clubs.
‘It’s understandable. They are high level players and when they come on international duty, they need to have a minimum of comfort.’
He added: ‘All the players tried to sleep on the airport floor. Imagine if Aubameyang, a player who costs more than €1million per month, gets injured.
‘[Arsenal] can be annoyed after what’s happened, to make a player sleep the floor.’
Aubameyang detailed the saga in social media posts and called on the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to act.
The delay had already begun before Aubameyang’s first post at 11.30pm. After further messages, including images of team-mates sleeping on the airport floor, Gabon were finally on the bus to their hotel at 5.56am, less than 12 hours before kick-off.
The incident led to accusations of dirty tricks by Gambia, who won the Group D clash 2-1.
Aubameyang said in a Twitter message to CAF: ‘Just want to know why Gambia keep our passports for hours and they keep us at the airport. Are we hostage or what? Are you gonna close your eyes.’
The 31-year-old then replied to a fan who had suggested that teams are using new Covid-19 restrictions to employ intimidation tactics so as to give their team an advantage, insisting that the Gabonese are now more motivated than before.
‘It will not demotivate us but people need to know and especially that the @CAF_Online [Confederation of African Football] take these responsibilities,’ Aubameyang replied. ‘2020 and we want Africa to grow, that’s not how we’re going to get there !!!’
CAF, who are investigating the incident, held an ‘emergency’ video conference call between the two countries on Monday.
World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
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UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
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Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
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