The Confederation of African Football (CAf) has declined a request from the Liberia Football Association (LFA) to move Sunday’s crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifier away from the Democratic Republic of Congo despite reports of Ebola outbreak in parts of the country.
CAF Director of Competitions, Samson Adamu, in an email response to the LFA wrote that “there is no risk of organising the DR Congo versus Liberia match as scheduled at the venue”.
Adamu also said “CAF is in contact with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is following the situation closely to ensure the organisation of the match in the best conditions.”
Dr Soce Fall, the WHO’s Regional Emergencies Director, also, told CAF that “to get from Kinshasa to North Kivu/Ituri where the Ebola epidemic is, anyone would need to take two flights because of the distance. So, for WHO, there is no restriction to play the match in Kinshasa.”
Although the LFA earlier this month had written to CAF, requesting the change of venue of its final qualification match against the DRC, it has now accepted the latest decision by the African football governing body and will leave for Kinshasa today as both teams get prepared for Sunday’s match.
Liberia is second in group G with 7 points while DRC is at the bottom of the group with 5 points.