The Antwerp A-selection, under the direction of Mark van Bommel, is no longer composed of Radja Nainggolan. On Monday night, The Great Old posted the statement to the club’s website. The midfielder’s e-cigarette controversy during Sunday’s game against Standard Liège served as the final straw.
The Antwerp A-selection announce no more comments will be made on this by the player or the club.
According to the club website, it is the oldest professional club in Belgium. “RAFC spoke with Radja Nainggolan today regarding his general functioning and how certain habits affect the team and the players as a whole. Radja will no longer be a member of the A-team, per club policy. Additionally, it has been made quite clear what our club expects and what it does not expect from its players. No more comments will be made on this by the player or the club.
Nainggolan has frequently made unfavourable headlines since his return to Antwerp. He was arrested last week for driving without a licence, which is the current offence being looked at. He had earlier lost that piece of paper while driving across the city with too much booze in his system. That’s enough after the e-cigarette incident in a venue where smoking is prohibited. For the time being, Nainggolan is no longer a member of the club’s A-selection.
The much-discussed midfielder Radja Nainggolan has responded to his suspension from Antwerp FC by accepting what he feels is an unfair penalty.
Nainggolan has his own definition of “no comment.” He posted an announcement on Instagram, “I just want to express my sincere regret for what I did. I also proclaim that this is wholly incorrect, but I simply hadn’t considered it at the time.
“The club has taken a decision that I can only accept, even though I may find it a little too difficult for me, but in one way or another I’m going to try to continue to do my part.”
