Sunderland midfielder Didier Ndong has not turned up for Gabon international duty and has been sent back to England, the Gabonese Football Federation says.
The 22-year-old, who signed for the Black Cats for £13.6m in August, was due to play in a World Cup qualifier against Mali on Saturday.
Gabon says Ndong has been in capital city Libreville since Monday.
They accuse him of a "glaring absence" and stress he has not communicated "any possible trouble" he may be in.
Ndong - who has 18 caps for his country - was due to report to Gabon training on Tuesday and the Gabonese Federation believe "it is common knowledge" he was in Libreville a day earlier.