The Congo national football team canceled its three-day training camp and farewell event in Kinshasa, due to an Ebola outbreak in the eastern region. The virus, a rare strain known as Bundibugyo, has reportedly claimed over 130 lives and there are at least 600 suspected cases. The World Health Organization has declared the situation a public health emergency of international concern.
Following this, Congo will prepare for the World Cup at an alternative location. Scheduled warm-up matches against Denmark in Liège, Belgium on June 3, and against Chile in southern Spain on June 9 will proceed as planned. Team spokesperson Jerry Kalemo confirmed this to The Associated Press.
Kalemo noted, “There were three preparation stages: in Kinshasa to bid farewell to the public; in Belgium and Spain with friendlies against Denmark and Chile; and lastly, starting June 11 in Houston, USA. Only the Kinshasa stage was canceled.”
Most players, along with their French coach Sébastien Desabre, are based outside Congo, primarily in France. Team staff remaining in Congo will depart soon, Kalemo added.
FIFA released a statement acknowledging the Ebola outbreak, stating that it is in close contact with the Football Association of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to ensure that the team receives all medical and safety guidelines.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a 30-day travel ban, affecting all foreign nationals who have been in Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan in the past three weeks. A US official stated that the Congolese World Cup team is not impacted by the travel restriction, as they have been training in Europe. Members of the team who have not returned to Congo in the past three weeks are exempt from the travel ban, said the official who wished to remain anonymous. However, any team member returning from Congo within that period will face the same quarantine requirements as US citizens returning from affected countries.
The restriction does not extend to Congolese fans attending the World Cup, the official added. The White House World Cup task force, under the Department of Homeland Security, emphasized close coordination with various agencies on health and safety issues, closely monitoring the outbreak.
Congo has qualified for the World Cup after winning a playoff tournament in Mexico and is placed in Group K. The Leopards’ opening match against Portugal is set for June 17 in Houston, followed by games against Colombia on June 23 in Guadalajara and Uzbekistan on June 27 in Atlanta. This marks Congo’s first World Cup qualification since 1974, when it was known as Zaire, an achievement celebrated throughout the conflict-stricken country.
Associated Press journalists Matt Lee and Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report. AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/mundial-de-futbol-fifa
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