3 minutes agoSpanish authorities cancel the preparation match for the Congo-Cili World Cup, cause of fear of Ebola
Periskopi(23 days ago)
(23 days ago)A friendly match before the World Cup, in which the Democratic Republic of Congo would participate, has been cancelled by the mayor of the Spanish town where it would take place, due to health concerns over Ebola's outbreak in the African country.
“I have signed the decree to prevent the development of the June 9th match between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chile”, said Juan Franco, mayor of La Línea de la Concepción in southern Spain.
Franzo stressed that the decision has been taken as a preventive measure and that he has followed the recommendations of the regional government's health service.
The mayor of La Línea, a town of about 65 thousand people near the border with Gibraltar, added that even the mayor of the municipality's medical service had advised the failure of the match, reports Theuardiaan
“A report by La Línea's chief of health service partially cautioned against hosting the match, given the health risks that could surface”, he said.
The Democratic Republic of Congo, which has qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1974 (then like Zaire), was scheduled to play a friendly neighbour to Denmark in Liège, Belgium, on Wednesday.
The team has cancelled a preparation camp at home following Ebola's explosion last month, temporarily settling in Belgium.
The outbreak of this infectious bleeding disease was recorded east of the DRC in mid-May.
On May 22nd, American authorities have demanded that the Congo team identify itself for 21 days before US entry into the World Cup, which takes place from June 11th to July 19th in the US, Canada and Mexico.
The team plans to be deployed in Houston, where it will hold the first match of the K Group on 17 June against Portugal. Later, they will play against Colombia in Guadalcanal on 24 June and Uzbekistan in Atlanta on 28 June. /Periscopi
