#INSERT type:image caption:Mbokani and his wife came close to being caught in the Brussels airport explosions. END#
Norwich City striker Dieumerci Mbokani has retired from international football after the Democratic Republic of Congo threatened him with sanctions when he missed a match after narrowly escaping the Brussels terror attacks.
Mbokani, 30, had been on his way to join up with his national team for two African Nations Cup qualifiers against Angola when he came close to being caught up in last month's explosions at Zaventem Airport.
The former Anderlecht and Dynamo Kiev player said he and his wife "would be dead" had they not briefly delayed their entry to the airport.
He subsequently decided against completing the journey to Kinshasa, and DR Congo Football Federation president Constant Omari threatened to punish him as a result.
Mbokani, who scored in Norwich's 3-2 win over Newcastle at the weekend, has now said he will no longer make himself available to DR Congo.
"I find the treatment that's been reserved for me to be unfair," he told Top Congo FM. "That's why, after having discussed it with my family and friends, I have decided to retire."
Omari had previously said Villarreal forward Cedric Bakambu was on a flight that had to be rerouted to Charleroi following the attacks on Brussels.
"Then he did everything to come and join the national team," the president added.
"We called Mbokani to offer him another possibility so that he might arrive in Kinshasa, but he made us go round in circles and in the end he didn't come.
"Should life stop because there were attacks in Brussels? We're examining the possibility of sanctioning him."
But Mbokani said he had not been contacted since making it known in the wake of the attacks that he was unsure whether he could travel for the Angola games.
"Since that day, no one has called me," he said. "Neither the manager, nor president Omari -- no one. There was not even a message of support or encouragement in relation to what happened me."