The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has criticised the cancellation of its scheduled friendly match against Chile in Spain due to concerns about the Ebola outbreak in the country.

The match was due to be played on June 9 in La Linea de la Concepcion, southern Spain, but local authorities called it off on public health grounds.

The Mayor of La Linea de la Concepcion, Juan Franco, announced that he had signed a decree banning the match following a recommendation from local health officials.

According to Mr Franco, a report from the town’s health service advised against staging the fixture because of potential health risks.

The DR Congo national team has, however, been training in Belgium ahead of its World Cup campaign.

Reports indicate that none of the 26 players is based in DR Congo or travelled directly from the country to the training camp, although some support staff and supporters may have done so.

Reacting to the development, DR Congo’s Minister of Communication, Patrick Muyaya, described the decision as unfair.

Speaking during a virtual press conference organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Mr Muyaya said the cancellation had created difficulties for the national team’s preparations.

He noted that the players had been training in Belgium for about three weeks and argued that the decision could be interpreted as discriminatory.

The cancelled fixture was part of DR Congo’s preparations for forthcoming international competitions, including the World Cup.

(Xinhua/NAN)