Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed Gabon’s game against Ghana at the AFCON 2021 due to heart lesions, Gabonese FA has said.
Two other Gabon players Mario Lemina and forward Axel Meye have the same problem.
Aubameyang and Lemina were ruled out of Gabon’s first game at the tournament after testing positive for COVID-19 in Cameroon last week.
Gabon defeated Comoros 1-0 in that game before picking a draw against Ghana in the following match.
“Medical examinations show cardiac lesions and CAF did not want to take any risks,” the Gabon Football Federation tweeted.
But coach Patrice Neveu said it was a “small problem” and that the players were dropped to protect them. He hoped they will be available for the last group game against Morocco on Tuesday.
“It’s clear from reading the report that Aubameyang doesn’t have heart problems, luckily for him, and neither does Lemina,” Neveu said.
“We are going to carry out MRIs and any other tests that need to be done, but I do think it was wise not to let them play. We followed the protocol.”
Gabon have had a troubled build-up to the biennial continental showpiece tournament.
The Gabonese government had to resolve a dispute between the players and the federation over match bonuses while the Confederation of African Football (CAF) scolded them for breaking the rules in changing hotel in Yaounde.
