DR Congo have cancelled their pre-World Cup training camp in the capital Kinshasa due to the Ebola outbreak in the country.The World Health Organisation has called it “a public health emergency of international concern” with 139 suspected deaths and over 600 cases due to the disease, per the BBC.DR Congo have confirmed that they have moved the camp to Belgium, where they are due to play Denmark on June 3, with a further pre-tournament fixture in Spain on June 9. They will play Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan in Group K at the World Cup.“The team’s training camp in Kinshasa has been cancelled. The camp will now take place in Belgium,” DR Congo spokesperson Jerry Kalemo said to The Athletic.“FIFA is aware of and monitoring the situation regarding an Ebola outbreak and is in close communication with the Congo DR Football Association to ensure that the team are made aware of all medical and security guidance,” a FIFA spokesperson told The Athletic.
The U.S. government has invoked an emergency public health rule to stop anyone who has visited DR Congo (in addition to Uganda or South Sudan, where other cases have been reported) in the last 21 days from entering the country. The ruling is in place for 30 days, and a decision will be made on whether to extend it.“This order is necessary to protect the health of the United States from the serious risk posed by the introduction of Ebola disease into the United States,” said the order published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.DR Congo qualified for the World Cup by beating Jamaica in a playoff in March (Agustin Cuevas/Getty Images)DR Congo’s opening game is on June 17 against Portugal in Houston, which is 28 days away. They then play in Guadalajara against Colombia on June 23 and Uzbekistan in Atlanta on June 27.FIFA says it continues to work with relevant authorities from all three host nations (U.S., Canada and Mexico) to “ensure a safe and secure tournament” as, they say, “the health of all individuals involved remains FIFA’s priority.”Travellers from DR Congo are already heavily restricted from travelling to the U.S. which due to strict immigration measures. Exemptions are in place for delegations of the national federations competing in the tournament.All of DR Congo’s 26-man squad, named earlier this week, plays outside of the country. Premier League players Axel Tuanzebe (Burnley), Noah Sadiki (Sunderland), Aaron Wan Bissaka (West Ham) and Yoan Wissa (Newcastle) complete their seasons this weekend. Kalemo said that none of the players have returned to the country.
