DR Congo superfan denied US visa to support team at World Cup

Michel Kuka Mboladinga go an iconic fig for his motionless airs astatine DR Congo games, but a World Cup repetition unlikely.

Democratic ‌Republic of Congo superfan Michel Kuka Mboladinga volition miss their cardinal World ⁠Cup clash against ⁠Uzbekistan connected Saturday due to the fact that helium was not granted a United States visa.

Mboladinga roseate to prominence astatine the Africa Cup of Nations finals successful ⁠Morocco astatine the crook of the year.

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He chopped a unsocial figure connected the terraces arsenic helium stood motionless passim DR Congo’s matches successful tribute to his country’s ⁠first premier minister, Patrice Lumumba, a revered fig successful the state aft being killed by firing squad successful 1961.

Mboladinga bears a singular resemblance to Lumumba, wearing colourful suits with his country’s colours.

But aft supporting the Congolese successful their past lucifer successful Mexico, helium ‌will not beryllium successful Atlanta for their must-win crippled arsenic they look to beforehand to the past 32.

Congolese ambassador successful Washington, DC, Kapinga Yvette Ngandu told the Reuters quality bureau she hoped helium would get a visa if DR Congo progressed to the knockout signifier of the World Cup.

“I anticipation helium brings his ain marque of enactment to the team,” she said connected Saturday.

Nicknamed “Lumumba Vea” due to the fact that of his tribute, ⁠Mboladinga raises his limb to onslaught a airs akin to ⁠one held by Lumumba successful a statue of him successful the superior Kinshasa.

In stark opposition to the vibrant singing and cheering fans astir him, Mboladinga is inactive passim the game.

His unsocial enactment won ⁠him worldwide notoriety, and erstwhile helium got backmost from Morocco successful January. helium was talented a four-wheel thrust by the Congolese ⁠government.

Mboladinga was successful the stands for DR Congo’s past ⁠game against Colombia successful Guadalajara, which they mislaid 1-0 connected Tuesday, aft belatedly arriving astatine the World Cup to bring his unsocial marque of support.

Mboladinga’s accomplishment astatine the World Cup was delayed pursuing restrictions ‌put successful spot for travellers from DRC owed to the Ebola outbreak successful the country.

The fig of confirmed Ebola cases successful DRC ‌has ‌increased to 1,203, including 321 deaths, authorities information showed connected Friday.