The ongoing pre-FIFA World Cup friendly between DR Congo and Chile is being played behind closed doors at the Stade de la Source in Orléans, France, because the game was moved from Spain due to concerns over the Ebola outbreak in the central African country.
The game was due to be held in the southern Spanish town of La Línea de la Concepción, but mayor Juan Franco imposed a ban as a ‘precautionary measure’ amidst concerns over the Ebola outbreak.
The World Health Organisation declared an international health emergency over an Ebola outbreak which was first reported on May 15 in northeastern Congo.
As per the WHO, there have been more than 500 confirmed cases, including dozens of deaths, recorded in the DRC and neighbouring Uganda.
Despite the concerns,
Congolese football officials insist that none of the footballers called up for the national team are based in the nation.
The team has been training in Marbella, southern Spain, in recent days and set off on Monday for Orleans in central France.
Chile published a video on social media of its footballers, saying that they had already arrived in Paris.
DR Congo drew 0-0 with Denmark in Belgium, where a large ethnic Congolese support was visible in the 23,000-strong crowd.
The game will serve as one final test for Sébastien Desabre’s team ahead of their first FIFA World Cup appearance since 1974, when they competed as Zaire. DR Congo will be based in Houston during the tournament and open their Group K campaign against Portugal on June 17, before facing Colombia in Guadalajara and Uzbekistan in Atlanta.
The build-up has been disrupted by health-related travel requirements, with footballers and officials required to remain outside DR Congo and be symptom-free before entry into the United States.
The game against Chile will now go ahead, but behind closed doors without spectators.
