Like all Belgians, Laurent Ciman was distraught upon learning of the terrorist attacks that hit the country’s capital, Brussels, on Tuesday morning.
Ciman was understandably shaken as he met the media after Impact training on Wednesday. Fortunately, none of his family members or friends were wounded at Brussels airport or in the subway, where 31 people lost their lives and 270 others sustained injuries, according to the latest reports.
“Everyone was affected by what happened in Paris [on November 13, 2015], and it’s the same for Belgium,” Ciman said. “There are no words to describe such a disaster. Belgian authorities will do what’s needed to help the victims and solve this case. I spoke to my parents on the phone. They won’t leave the house. It’s the same with my friends. It’s utter chaos.”
Ciman could have been in the area himself, had he been called up for a friendly between Belgium and Portugal initially scheduled for next Tuesday, in Brussels. The Portuguese city of Leiria will now host the fixture.
Although he did train with his teammates on Tuesday and Wednesday, Ciman admitted to not focusing much on soccer for now. While such attacks deliver a genuine shock, Ciman added that, from the moment that links between the Paris attacks and the Brussels suburbs surfaced, the Belgian people felt like their country was among the next targets.
“Then, you talk about it, days go by and you’re not constantly asking yourself that question either,” Ciman said. “People kept living their lives. Unfortunately, I reckon most people thought it would happen.
“We have to stand together, try to find the culprits and stop them. Enough already.”
