AFCON 2021: Why Aubameyang, Mario Lamino Was Kicked Out Of Gabon’s Camp

AFCON 2021– Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mario Lamina are leaving the Gabonese camp for the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon and returning to their clubs in Europe for medical checks.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mario Lemina have taken to social media to criticize the alleged ‘false rumors that are being spread about them in the aftermath of their release from Gabon’s Africa Cup of Nations camp.

Aubameyang and Lemina have had a miserable tournament, having tested positive for coronavirus on January 6 and thus missing Gabon’s first match against Comoros, and then being denied a return despite testing negative after virus residues were found in their systems before the Panthers second Group C game against Ghana.

Patrice Neveu, the head coach, told GOAL on Monday that the pair had been released from the camp and would leave the Africa Cup of Nations to seek medical attention and more in-depth examinations in Europe.

READ ALSO: AFCON 2021: Aubameyang Missed Gabon vs Ghana March See Why

Arsenal striker Aubameyang was diagnosed with heart lesions forcing him out of the competition.

However, in the aftermath of the revelation, rumors on social media have begun to circulate that the duo was expelled for disciplinary reasons.

The former Arsenal captain Aubameyang has hit out at ‘false rumors’ that he has been kicked out of Gabon’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign due to poor discipline.

Recall that Aubameyang was stripped of the captaincy of Arsenal and later banished from the first team by manager Mikel Arteta for alleged disciplinary breach.

“We already have problems that are difficult to resolve and then there are rumors on top of that,” Aubameyang wrote on his @Auba Twitter handle. “Anyway, we have the health to take care of before anything.

“I won’t respond to these false rumors and with all my heart, I wish that our team goes as far as possible [at the AFCON].”

Lemina took a more combative tone in an Instagram story—which was shared by Aubameyang—on his @lemsm13 handle.

“I’m not even going to feed the lies which seek to harm,” he began. “I have nothing to do with them.

“I have pain upon pain for my national team, which is surrounded by liars seeking a buzz. Good luck to you for the end of the competition, and future selections.“Far from eyes, but close to heart.”

After CAF’s doctors and the Gabonese medical team advised Neveu not to use the players against Ghana, he initially expressed optimism that they would be able to play again.

However, the players’ desire to seek medical care elsewhere, as well as their psychological state (both of whom were struggling with the continued isolation), prompted Fegafoot to release them to London and Nice, respectively.

But this time, the former Gunners captain Aubameyang is returning to the Emirates after he was diagnosed with heart lesions following testing positive for Covid.

Arsenal club said last week they are confident Aubameyang’s issue is not a serious one, but the striker says he is going through ‘problems that are hard to resolve by themselves.’

“Since yesterday, the decision was taken to send them home to their club,” Neveu said.

“We can’t judge it here [in Cameroon], we can’t assess the pathology of Covid here.

“Mario must return to Nice and Pierre returns to Arsenal.

“It’s a decision that we’ve taken among ourselves.”

Gabon, which has four points from two games, can reach the Nations Cup knockout stages for the first time since 2012 with a point against Morocco in Yaounde on Tuesday.