DEFENDER Abdul Rwatubyaye, who disappeared from camp in France last year has returned back home and joined the U-20 team which is preparing for the 2015 Africa Youth Championship qualifiers.

Rwatubyaye disappeared from the junior wasps’ camp as Rwanda made its maiden participation in the Francophone Games held in Nice, France.

"Rwatubyaye was convinced to return back home by his family which he did after realising he had done a grave mistake of escaping while on national duty last year,” the Ferwafa Secretary General Olivier Mulindahabi said at a news conference on Friday.

Rwatubyaye, an Isonga FC player at the time, remained in the hotel when his teammates were out for a scheduled stroll and then quietly left the hotel and disappeared.

He has been living in France until his return to Rwanda recently.

He has already linked up with the rest of his team mates in residential training camp which started on Monday at Ferwafa grounds in Remera.

No Rwandan player had disappeared during official missions abroad since 2006 when Jean de Dieu Uwimana went AWOL in France while on duty with national volleyball team.

Back in 2005, Rayon Sports right back Jean Remi Bitana also disappeared from the senior national team training camp in Germany.