Ebola Outbreak Forces Cancellation of DR Congo vs Chile Friendly in Spain

Spanish authorities have cancelled a planned international friendly between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chile, citing health concerns over an Ebola outbreak in the African nation. The decision, announced on Thursday, underscores the widening international response to the epidemic as teams finalise their World Cup preparations.

The match was scheduled to be played on 9 June in the coastal city of La Linea de la Concepcion, a resort of roughly 65,000 people in the province of Cadiz near the Gibraltar border. Juan Franco, the city’s mayor, signed a decree preventing the fixture from going ahead as a precautionary measure following recommendations from the Andalusian regional health service and the municipality’s own medical department.

A report by the head of the mayoralty’s health service of La Linea advised categorically against hosting the match given the health risks which might arise, Franco said.

DR Congo are currently based in Belgium after cancelling a planned pre tournament training camp in the capital Kinshasa because of the Ebola outbreak in the east of the country. BBC Sport understands that none of DR Congo’s players, who all play for clubs outside the country, have visited their homeland recently, but some support staff and fans have travelled from there.

The outbreak in eastern DR Congo has been caused by a rare species of Ebola known as Bundibugyo. There is currently no vaccine for this species, and the World Health Organisation has said it could take up to nine months for a jab to be ready.

The US public health agency has banned entry for non Americans who have been in DR Congo, Uganda or South Sudan in the previous 21 days in response to the Ebola outbreak.

The cancellation is the latest disruption for DR Congo as they prepare for their first World Cup appearance since 1974. They are scheduled to face Denmark in a friendly in Liege on Wednesday before travelling to the United States, where they will base themselves in Houston during the tournament. DR Congo open their Group K campaign against Portugal on 17 June, then face Colombia in Guadalajara before taking on Uzbekistan in Atlanta.

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