[Saba Sports News] According to British media, players from the Democratic Republic of the Congo do not need to undergo quarantine ahead of the World Cup, while only some team staff are required to do so. The Congolese World Cup squad has been exempted from a three-week pre-tournament quarantine. The US issued strict quarantine requirements on Saturday amid an Ebola outbreak in the African country. The Democratic Republic of the Congo subsequently held talks with FIFA. The two parties reached a consensus that there was no need for alarm, as all called-up players reside and play professionally in Europe. Only certain staff members will abide by the 21-day quarantine rules. The team’s players and staff are currently staging their World Cup preparations in Belgium. The US had demanded last Saturday that all of them complete a three-week quarantine, a requirement the Democratic Republic of the Congo has dismissed as unnecessary.
The editor believes that the Democratic Republic of the Congo has taken steps to comply with the health protocols set by the US government. The team originally planned to stop over in Kinshasa after finishing their training camp in Belgium, but the flight has been cancelled. Furthermore, the Congolese Football Federation stated that only a small number of staff members are residents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They left the country on May 20 and will serve a quarantine of at least 21 days. Following consultations with FIFA, the rest of the team can proceed with their World Cup preparations as normal.