AFCON 2025: Bertrand Traoré fined for comments against Ghanaian referee Daniel Laryea

Burkina Faso captain Bertrand Traore has been handed a financial sanction by the Confederation of African Football following his comments against Ghanaian referee Daniel Laryea after the Stallions’ 1-0 defeat to Algeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

CAF confirmed that Traore was fined 10,000 US dollars after appearing before its disciplinary committee to answer charges relating to his post-match remarks, which were judged to be offensive and contrary to the standards expected of a national team captain at a major continental tournament.

The sanction follows Traore’s public criticism of Laryea, who officiated the Group E encounter. The Sunderland forward questioned several key decisions, including the penalty awarded to Algeria in the first half and the handling of an earlier incident he believed warranted a VAR review in Burkina Faso’s favour.

“I think there was a penalty on me in the first action of the match. The referee didn’t even check VAR,” Traore said at the time.

CAF stated that while the comments breached disciplinary regulations, the punishment imposed was limited strictly to a monetary fine. No sporting sanctions were applied, meaning Traore faces no suspension, match ban, or additional disciplinary measures.

During the hearing, the Burkina Faso captain adopted a conciliatory stance, apologising for his remarks and expressing regret for the tone and timing of his comments.

He stressed that his frustration stemmed from the intensity of the moment and that he did not intend to undermine CAF or show disrespect to match officials.

The Burkina Faso Football Federation later confirmed its acceptance of the ruling, noting that the full sanction consists solely of the 10,000-dollar fine.