"Michel Nkuka Mboladinga has supported the Democratic Republic of Congo by dressing up as the country's revered first leader Patrice Lumumba and remaining stock-still throughout every match. He stood on a pedestal with his right arm raised - just like Lumumba's famous statue in DR Congo's capital, Kinshasa - as fans around him cheered. But after Algeria beat the Leopards on Tuesday, Algerian player Mohamed Amine Amoura faced a backlash for mimicking Mboladinga and falling to the ground as though the statue had been knocked over."
"This prompted the 25-year-old forward to post an apology on Instagram, saying his gesture was not intended to disrespect DR Congo. The Desert Foxes had looked like they were heading to penalties before Adil Boulbina scored in the 119th minute, securing a place in the quarter-finals. "At that moment, I wasn't aware of what the person or symbol in the stands represented. I simply wanted to joke around, in a good-natured way, without any ill intent or desire to provoke anyone," said Amoura, who also plays for German team Wolfsburg."
"Following Amoura's contrite statement, the Algerian Football Association (Faf) invited Mboladinga - who with his hairstyle and glasses looks remarkably like Lumumba - to the hotel where the North African team are staying in Rabat to meet the players. The superfan was not able to get to Morocco's capital so Faf's media officer Said Fellak travelled to Casablanca's Novotel Hotel to see him and other Congolese supporters on Wednesday evening."
Michel Nkuka Mboladinga dresses as Patrice Lumumba and stands stock-still on a pedestal with his right arm raised during Democratic Republic of Congo matches, evoking Lumumba's famous Kinshasa statue. After Algeria beat DR Congo, Algerian forward Mohamed Amine Amoura mimicked Mboladinga and fell as if the statue had been knocked over, prompting public backlash. Amoura apologized on Instagram, saying he did not intend disrespect and that he had not known the symbol's meaning. Algeria's Football Association invited Mboladinga to meet the team; when he could not travel to Rabat, a Faf media officer travelled to Casablanca to meet him and supporters.
Read at www.bbc.com
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