US says DR Congo team must stay away from others before the World Cup because of the Ebola outbreak
The US has mandated that Congo’s World Cup delegation undergo a 21-day isolation period prior to their arrival, in light of a recent deadly Ebola outbreak in their home country.
Members of the national football team from the Democratic Republic of Congo are required to undergo a 21-day isolation period prior to their arrival in the US for this year’s World Cup, as a precautionary measure in response to an Ebola outbreak in their country.
Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup, confirmed on Friday that the Congolese delegation must stay within a controlled bubble at their training base in Belgium or face the possibility of being denied entry into the US.
DRC is placed in Group K for the World Cup in North America. Their opening match is scheduled against Portugal on June 17 in Houston. They will also compete against Colombia on June 23 in Guadalajara, Mexico, and Uzbekistan on June 27 in Atlanta.
“We’ve communicated clearly to Congo that they need to uphold the integrity of their bubble for 21 days before they can travel to Houston on June 11,” Giuliani told ESPN. “We have communicated clearly to the Congo government that they must uphold that bubble, or they may jeopardize their ability to travel to the US.” We cannot express this any more clearly.
All members of the DRC squad, along with French head coach Sebastien Desabre, are located outside the central African country. Many players compete at a professional level in Europe, such as defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka from West Ham United, forward Yoane Wissa from Newcastle United, and captain Chancel Mbemba from Lille.
Giuliani stated that the US would not make concessions regarding health measures associated with the tournament.
“We want to ensure that nothing will come in or near our borders regarding this matter,” he stated.
Earlier this month, the DRC confirmed an outbreak of Bundibugyo Ebola, a rare strain of the virus. Over 130 individuals have lost their lives among nearly 600 suspected cases.
The outbreak compelled DRC to cancel its training camp in Kinshasa and move its preparations to Belgium.
The team is set to compete against Denmark in a friendly match in Liege on June 3, followed by a game against Chile in southern Spain on June 9.
