Congos soccer team has canceled a three-day World Cup preparation training camp and a planned farewell to fans in the capital Kinshasa because of an Ebola outbreak in the east of the country.
Ebola Outbreak Details
An outbreak of a rare type of Ebola known as Bundibugyo has killed more than 130 people and caused nearly 600 suspected cases. The World Health Organization has declared it a public health emergency of international concern.
Preparations will now take place in other locations instead of Kinshasa.
Warmup Matches Still Scheduled
Congo is scheduled to play World Cup warmup games against Denmark in Liège, Belgium on June 3 and Chile in southern Spain on June 9. Both matches are going ahead as planned, team spokesman Jerry Kalemo told The Associated Press.
"There were three stages of preparation: in Kinshasa to say goodbye to the public, Belgium and Spain with two friendly matches, and the third stage from June 11 in Houston, United States. Only one stage was canceled – the one in Kinshasa," Kalemo said.
Team Location and Coaching
All of the Congo players and the team's French coach, Sébastien Desabre, are based outside of the central African country with most of them playing in France. Some team staff who are based in Congo are leaving in the next hours.
Soccer's governing body FIFA issued a statement saying it is aware of and monitoring the situation and is in close communication with the Congo DR Football Association.
U.S. Entry Restrictions
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the U.S. would ban entry of all foreign nationals who had been in Congo, Uganda and South Sudan within the past three weeks. The ban lasts for 30 days.
A U.S. official said the Congolese World Cup team would not be affected by the CDC entry ban because it had been training in Europe for the past several weeks. Team members, coaches and officials who have not returned to Congo in the past three weeks would not be subject to the entry ban.
However, those members of the delegation who did return to Congo during the 21-day period will be subject to quarantine requirements. This exception will not apply to Congolese fans who want to attend the World Cup.
World Cup Schedule
Congo has been drawn in Group K and faces Portugal for its opening game in Houston on June 17. The Leopards then face Colombia in Guadalajara on June 23 before playing Uzbekistan in Atlanta for their final group game on June 27.
Congo's first World Cup qualification since 1974—when it was called Zaire—sparked scenes of jubilation across the nation, which has been battered by decades of conflict.