Congo government decries Spain's cancellation of friendly match over Ebola fears

The Democratic Republic of Congo's government has voiced strong objections to the cancellation of a friendly soccer match against Chile, scheduled for June 9 in La Línea de la Concepción, Spain. Spanish authorities cited precautions against the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo as the reason for the cancellation.

Patrick Muyaya, Congo's Minister of Communication and government spokesperson, expressed frustration during a virtual press conference organized by the World Health Organization. He argued that the decision could be discriminatory, emphasizing that the Congolese national team players are not in the Ebola-affected areas. "Many, I think all of our players do not play in Kinshasa or in the Democratic Republic of Congo, all of them have been in some place in Belgium for about three weeks concentrating on preparing for the World Cup," Muyaya stated.

The Congolese Football Federation is actively negotiating with authorities to reinstate the match, asserting that all necessary health and safety measures are in place. The municipal decision was made by La Línea de la Concepción's mayor, Juan Franco, who cited health prudence and potential risks. Chile's national team has also appealed for the match to proceed, even if played behind closed doors.

This friendly is crucial for the "Leopards" as they prepare for their first World Cup appearance in 52 years. The team is grouped with Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan in the tournament set to take place in June and July in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The Ebola outbreak, concentrated in the northeastern Ituri province, has resulted in 363 confirmed cases and 62 deaths, according to Congolese government data. Kinshasa, the capital, has not reported any cases.