© Reuters 2002

BAMAKO, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo striker Shabani Nonda, dubbed the "new George Weah", became the latest player to be sent home from the African Nations Cup on Wednesday.

Coach Louis Watunda said that Nonda, who plays for French club Monaco, had left the team's camp because of ill health and "personal circumstances".

Other reports said his expulsion came after an alleged disagreement with Watunda. Nonda captained the Congo side in Sunday's defeat to Cameroon in Sikasso, their opening match of the Mali tournament.

Shabani's departure is the fourth since the tournament began on January 19.

It comes just 24 hours after Ghana defender Sammy Kuffour was kicked out of his squad for alleged indiscipline. Both Egypt and Morocco also sent players home last weekend under similar circumstances.

Nonda, who has played sporadically for the Congolese since his debut in April 2000, is his country's best-known player across Europe.

Born in neighbouring Burundi, he chose to play for the Congolese rather than his homeland, which he left as a teenager to escape inter-tribal strife. Nonda's father was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

MAJOR STIR
Nonda's performances in France for Rennes and Monaco have seen him dubbed "the new George Weah" by the French press. The player told reporters before the tournament he had been looking forward to his African Nations Cup debut and a chance to stake a claim for his long-standing dream of winning the African Footballer of the Year award. Congo next play Togo in group C in Sikasso on Saturday.

On Tuesday, the departure of Kuffour caused a major stir at the tournament, which had already seen Egypt's Ibrahim Said and Morocco defender Abdesslam Ouaddou, who plays for Fulham in the English premier league, sent home. Kuffour, the Bayern Munich defender and one of three candidates for the upcoming African Footballer of the Year award, was accused of being a disruptive influence by Ghana's coach Fred Osam Duodu.

He left Bamako for Accra on Tuesday and on arrival in the Ghanaian capital told reporters he had done nothing wrong.