S Africa not keen to host Cup of Nations over costs, Ebola fears

JOHANNESBURG — South Africa is reluctant to step in as a last-minute host for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations, its sport ministry said on Friday as it cited fears over Ebola and unplanned staging costs.

“There are just too many factors to consider for South Africa,” the department of sport and recreation said in a statement.

Morocco, the original host of the African Cup scheduled for January and February, wants it postponed because of Ebola and may give up the tournament completely.

Tournament organisers the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has approached South Africa, Ghana and possibly other countries to be on standby if Morocco withdraws.

But it is possible that no one else wants it because of the limited preparation time, and threat of the deadly disease spreading.

South Africa’s sports ministry stressed that it had not yet been officially asked by the South African Football Association to consider hosting the tournament, but referred to the “Ebola challenge engulfing the continent”.

More than 4,500 people have died in West Africa in the worst recorded outbreak of the virus. The outbreak is still not contained in the three countries worst affected: Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. Ebola has no known cure or vaccination.

Morocco asked for the Jan 17-Feb 8 event to be postponed because of the threat of Ebola arriving with football supporters and others travelling from affected regions.

But CAF insisted it must go ahead on those dates or it will find another country.

The South African sports ministry said the cost of an unplanned hosting in just three months was its “major concern”, but Ebola was a factor. “The tournament ... may also pose a challenge on how we can grapple with the Ebola challenge engulfing the continent at the moment.” AP