Wednesday 6 April 2016 16:45, UK
On-loan Norwich City striker Dieumerci Mbokani says he no longer wants to play for Congo after "unfair" treatment following the Brussels terror attacks.
The 30-year-old escaped unhurt from Zaventem Airport on March 22 and said he was too traumatised to travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo for two African Nations Cup qualifiers.
He missed the home and away legs against Angola but team-mate Cedric Bakambu, who plays for Spanish club Villarreal, was booked on the same plane and arrived in Kinshasa the next day after taking an alternative flight.
Congolese Football Federation (CFF) president Constant Omari, who is also a FIFA executive committee member, told a French radio station that Mbokani faces a possible sanction because he did not arrive for the games.
But Mbokani told Sky Sports News HQ: "There wasn't an agreement with me and Congo like there was with me and Norwich. Norwich knew where I was coming from and with Congo it was a misunderstanding.
"I was caught up in current events which led to this current situation and I think it might be the best time to stop playing international football, that's my stance on it.
"In normal circumstances of course I want to play for them but in exceptional circumstances I was disappointed they couldn't see where I was coming from."
And he added on Congolese radio: "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 but, since that day, no one called me, not even a message of support and encouragement from what happened to me.
"I stayed in Brussels with my family, which 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 tried to make me travel to Kinshasa."
But CFF president Omari told Sky Sports News HQ: "He hasn't been in touch directly with the CFF to say he's quitting international football. I've only read the reports in the press like everyone else.
"It's not for Mbokani to quit international football. You can't just get up in the morning and decide you're not playing for your country anymore. It's up to the national selectors if they want to pick him.
"No door has been closed but if he wants to play international football again then he'd have to apologise and explain his actions. Mbokani has shown disrespect for the national side over the situation.
"Mbokani shouldn't have been caught up in the terror attacks since the ticket the FA had bought for him was to fly 24 hours before. But he decided to change the ticket, without explaining why. If he had respected the ticket the national team had sent, he would have arrived.
"The national coordinator did call back, Mbokani picked up, heard the voice, then hung up and hasn't been in touch again since."
