Ebola: Caf Suspends Afcon Matches in Guinea and Sierra Leone

The Confederations of African Football (Caf) has moved to ensure that no traveling football team delegations can transmit the deadly Ebola virus.

Caf has urged every football federations, whose country is affected by the Ebola virus, to ensure their respective teams traveling abroad can be examined before departure.

The football federations of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, three countries which have recorded a high number of cases, have been told not to host any Caf competition matches at home until mid-September 2014.

The Caf statement said: “Caf took its decision based on advice from several medical experts on the potential impact of the spread of the Ebola virus in relation to the organisation of matches and Caf competitions.”

Therefore, the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying group phase matches involving Guinea vs. Togo (Group E) on September 5 2014, Sierra Leone vs. DR Congo (Group D) on September 10 will be played on neutral ground.

The Sierra Leone Football Federation are understood to have contacted its Ghanaian counterpart to host their game in the latter’s territory.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) puts the figure at 1848 cases reported in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra-Leone, leading to the death of 1013 persons.

“Caf will reassess the situation will be done in mid-September 2014 in order to allow or not these countries to receive teams and organise Caf matches and competitions,” the statement added.

All national federations are as well obliged to inform incoming delegations all necessary information delivered by health authorities.