Congo's 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 outbreak of Ebola in the east of the country. The decision was made to ensure the safety of players and staff amid a rare type of Ebola known as Bundibugyo, which has reportedly 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.
Revised Preparations
Preparations will now take place elsewhere. Congo is scheduled to play World Cup warm-up games against Denmark in Liege, Belgium on June 3 and Chile in southern Spain on June 9. Both matches are going ahead as planned, according to team spokesman Jerry Kalemo. He explained that there were three stages of preparation: a public farewell in Kinshasa, friendly matches in Belgium and Spain, and a final stage in Houston, United States starting June 11. Only the Kinshasa stage was canceled.
Player and Staff Movements
All of Congo's players and their French coach, Sébastien Desabre, are based outside the central African country, with most playing in France. Some team staff who are based in Congo are leaving in the next hours, Kalemo said.
FIFA's Response
Soccer's governing body FIFA issued a statement saying it is aware of and monitoring the Ebola outbreak, and is in close communication with the Congo DR Football Association to ensure the team receives all medical and security guidance. FIFA continues to work with the host countries' governments—the US, Mexico, and Canada—as well as the World Health Organization, to ensure a safe and secure tournament.
World Cup Schedule
Congo, which qualified for the World Cup after winning a playoff tournament in Mexico, has been drawn in Group K. It faces Portugal in Houston on June 17, then Colombia in Guadalajara on June 23, and Uzbekistan in Atlanta on June 27. This is Congo's first World Cup qualification since 1974, when it was called Zaire, sparking nationwide jubilation despite decades of conflict.
