New Delhi: The long-awaited comeback of the Democratic Republic of Congo FIFA World Cup One is overshadowed by mounting concerns. Ebola spread in the African country. A pre-World Cup friendly between DR Congo and Chile was called off after health concerns prompted local authorities in Spain to intervene.Officials in the Spanish town of La Linea de la Concepcion canceled the June 9 match after health experts warned of potential risks associated with the Ebola outbreak.Mayor Juan Franco said he had signed a decree (government order) banning the match, calling the decision a precautionary measure taken after consultation with regional health authorities and municipal medical services.“I have signed a decree banning the match between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Chile on June 9,” said Juan Franco, the mayor of La Linea de la Concepcion in southern Spain.“A report by the head of the Health Service of the Mayoralty of La Linea clearly advises against hosting the match given the health risks,” he said.DR Congo, who have qualified for their first World Cup since appearing as visitors in the 1974 tournament, are scheduled to face Denmark in a friendly in Liege, Belgium on Wednesday. The team had already scrapped plans for a pre-World Cup training camp in their home country following the Ebola outbreak last month and instead based their preparations in Belgium.An outbreak of highly contagious hemorrhagic fever was officially declared in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in mid-May.On May 22, U.S. officials informed the Congolese squad that they must complete a 21-day isolation period before being allowed to enter the United States for the World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19 and is co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.The team plans to stay in Houston during the tournament and will begin their Group K campaign against Portugal on June 17.DR Congo will then travel to Guadalajara, Mexico to face Colombia on June 24 and return to the US for their final group stage match against Uzbekistan in Atlanta on June 28.(with input from AFP)
