Ebola countries told to move Nations Cup qualifiers

Cape Town: Guinea and Sierra Leone have been ordered to move their African Nations Cup qualifiers next month to neutral territory following the outbreak of the Ebola virus in west Africa, which has killed more than 1,000 people.

The Confederation of African Football said on Tuesday that Liberia, who are out of the Nations Cup, must also move matches although there are none imminent at senior, club or junior level. Guinea are due to host Togo on Sept. 6. Sierra Leone have already asked Ghana to stage their game against DR Congo on Sept. 10 but have been told government permission must be granted. The epidemic – the world’s largest and deadliest so far – has killed 1,013 in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria and has prompted the World Health Organization to declare an international health emergency, with the epidemic predicted to continue for months.