The Democratic Republic of the Congo national football team has cancelled a three-day World Cup training camp and a planned public farewell in Kinshasa because of the Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of the country.
Team spokesman Jerry Kalemo confirmed that only the Kinshasa phase of preparations had been cancelled, while warm-up matches against Denmark on June 3 in Belgium and Chile on June 9 in Spain will go ahead as scheduled.
“There were three stages of preparation: Kinshasa, Belgium and Spain, and then Houston in the United States. Only the Kinshasa stage was canceled,” Kalemo said.
The Leopards will now continue preparations abroad following the outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which has reportedly 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.
Most of the DRC squad, including French coach Sebastien Desabre, are based overseas, mainly in France.
Kalemo also confirmed that team staff based in DRC were leaving the country.
FIFA said it is closely monitoring the situation and remains in contact with the DRC Football Association regarding medical and security guidance.
Meanwhile, the United States announced a 30-day entry ban on foreign nationals who have recently travelled to DRC, Uganda and South Sudan.
However, a US official said the Congolese team would not be affected because they have been training in Europe for several weeks.
DRC will begin their historic World Cup campaign against Portugal in Houston on June 17 before facing Colombia and Uzbekistan in Group K.
The Leopards qualified for their first World Cup since 1974, when the country competed as Zaire.
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