Ghana FA wants government clearance before Ebola-affected Sierra Leone can play in Accra

Published on: 12 August 2014
Ghana FA wants government clearance before Ebola-affected Sierra Leone can play in Accra
Move: Sierra Leone, pictured in 2013, have asked for permission to play in Ghana due to the Ebola outbreak

The Ghana FA has asked the Sierra Leone government to contact the Ghana government for clearance from the Ministry of Health before they can play their 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in Accra.

The Sierra Leone Football Association asked their Ghanaian counterparts for permission to play some of its African Cup qualifiers in Ghana because of the Ebola outbreak at home.

Sierra Leone's government cancelled all football there because of the deadly virus, which is thought to have killed over 1,000 people in Sierra  Leone, Guinea and Liberia, and may have spread to Nigeria.

But the GFA says even though it is keen on hosting their 'brothers' from Sierra Leone, government health authorities in Ghana must give the clearance before the matches can be played in Accra.

 

"While the GFA is keen on helping out our brothers from Sierra Leone, we are uncertain about the health implications for our country," a statement from the GFA on Tuesday evening read.

 

"Therefore the GFA has asked the SLFA to ask their government to make a formal request to the government of Ghana for consideration by the Ministry of Health.

 

"It is based on this report from Ghana's Ministry of Health that a decision will be taken."

The Confederation of African Football said in a statement on Tuesday that Sierra Leone indicated it wanted to move its home ties in the final qualifying round to Ghana.

CAF said the request had been made to Ghanaian authorities and 'necessary reviews are being undertaken.'

CAF still has to rule if Guinea, the country believed to be the source of the outbreak, is allowed to play qualifiers at home.

 

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