Norwich star Dieumerci Mbokani quits Congo National Team

The striker opted to return to his Brussels home instead of fly to Congolese capital Kinshasa after being at the airport when the bombs went off

Norwich striker Dieumerci Mbokani has quit international football after missing a pair of Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers after being caught up in the Brussels bombings.

Mbokani was outside Zavantem Airport when suicide bombers struck at the departure hall, killing 16 people, on March 22.

Despite leaving the scene unhurt, Mbokani, opted to return to his home in the Belgian capital instead of continuing his journey to to Africa to play in the two qualifying matches against Angola.

And now he says his time with the DR Congo is over admitting: “I don’t want to play for Congo. I find the treatment unfair.

“I was at Brussels Airport at the time of the attacks. Immediately after, I called the vice-president Theo Binamungu and he promised to call me.

“Since that day, no one called me. Not even a message of support and encouragement after what happened to me.

“Then I stayed in Brussels with my family that I almost lost in the attacks. I asked my team to give me a few days of rest, time for me to recover from the trauma.

“Someone from the Congolese Federation tried to make me travel to Kinshasa.

“I always have problems with the Federation. That’s the reason why I decided to stop with the national team.”

DR Congo won their two qualifiers to stay on course to qualify for next year’s finals in Gabon.

Congolese Football Federation president Constant Omari who is also a FIFA executive committee member, told French radio before Mbokani’s comments that the Norwich striker could be in trouble after failing to arrive for the matches.

“It’s true there were problems at the airport, but (teammate) Cedric Bakambu was on the same plane (as Mbokani) and had to leave Brussels,” Omari said.

“But he caught an alternate plane from Charleroi and did everything to come here (to Kinshasa). We called Mbokani and told him of the new arrangements being made but he turned us down.”

Omari said Mbokani, as a senior member of the squad, should set an example to the rest of the team.

“Do you think we need him again for the national team? I’d prefer to lose but with disciplined players,” he added.

Source: Mirror UK