DR Congo Cancels World Cup Training Camp Over Ebola Outbreak

The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s national football team canceled a three-day World Cup training camp and a public farewell event in Kinshasa due to an Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of the country.

The team still plans to play warm-up matches against Denmark in Liege, Belgium, on June 3 and against Chile in southern Spain on June 9, spokesman Jerry Kalemo confirmed to The Associated Press on Wednesday.

“There were three stages of preparation: In Kinshasa to say goodbye to the public, Belgium and Spain with two friendly matches against Denmark in Liege and Chile in Spain, and the third stage from June 11 in Houston, United States. Only one stage was canceled – the one in Kinshasa,” Kalemo said.

The team’s pre-tournament preparations will now take place elsewhere following an outbreak of Bundibugyo, a rare strain of Ebola that has killed more than 130 people and caused nearly 600 suspected cases.

The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

All DRC players and French coach Sebastien Desabre are based outside the central African country, with most playing in France.

“A number of team staff who are based in DRC are leaving in the next hours,” Kalemo said.

FIFA said in a statement that it “is aware of and monitoring the situation regarding an Ebola outbreak and is in close communication with the DRC Football Association to ensure that the team are made aware of all medical and security guidance.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced this week that it would ban entry of all foreign nationals who had been in DRC, Uganda or South Sudan within the past three weeks, with the restriction lasting 30 days.

A U.S. official said the Congolese World Cup team would not be affected by the CDC entry ban because they have been training in Europe for several weeks, meaning team members, coaches and officials who have not returned to DRC in the past three weeks are exempt, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the policy has not been publicly announced.

Congolese World Cup delegation members who did return to DRC during the 21-day period will face the same quarantine requirements as U.S. citizens returning from affected countries, the official said, adding that the exception does not apply to Congolese fans wishing to attend the World Cup.

The White House World Cup Task Force, under the Department of Homeland Security, stressed that it is “coordinating closely” with various agencies on health and security matters and that the government is “closely monitoring” the outbreak.

DRC qualified for the World Cup by winning a playoff tournament in Mexico and have been drawn in Group K, opening against Portugal in Houston on June 17.

The Leopards will then face Colombia in Guadalajara on June 23 before playing Uzbekistan in Atlanta for their final group game on June 27.

DRC’s first World Cup qualification since 1974, when the country was known as Zaire, sparked celebrations across the nation, which has been battered by decades of conflict.