By Zjan Shirinian

The Ebola outbreak has killed more than 500 people in Guinea ©AFP/Getty ImagesThe deadly Ebola outbreak has forced the relocation of two Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is moving Guinea's home game against Togo on September 5 and Sierra Leone's match versus Democratic Republic of the Congo on September 10 to neutral grounds.

"Advice from several medical experts on the potential impact of the spread of the Ebola virus in relation to the organisation of matches and CAF competitions" has led to the decision, a CAF spokesman said.

"CAF will reassess the situation in mid-September," they added.

Officials in Togo were calling for CAF to move their qualifier because of Ebola. 

More than 1,500 people have been killed across west Africa in what is the thought to be the largest ever outbreak of the disease - with around 500 of these deaths in Guinea.

"We are scared by the situation," a spokesman for the Togo Football Federation is reported to have said.

Players from the country had reportedly expressed their fears over travelling to Guinea.

An alternative venue for the game has not yet been decided.

Some of Togo's players have reportedly expressed concerns about playing in Guinea ©Getty ImagesSome of Togo's players have reportedly expressed concerns about playing in Guinea
©Getty Images



Sierra Leone has already decided not to host any football matches in the country until further notice because of Ebola - which has killed an estimated 700 people there - with it wanting to stage its home matches in Ghana.

Ghana's Football Association is understood to be waiting on Government advice before agreeing to the plan.

Seychelles forfeited its place in the qualifying competition when it stopped Sierra Leone's players from travelling to the country for their August encounter because of the Ebola outbreak.

A CAF spokesman added it was taking its advice from the World Health Organisation, which has called for "an avoidance of huge gatherings that could facilitate the spread of the Ebola virus".

Uganda and Ghana are also in Group E with Togo and Guinea, with the final round of games scheduled for November 19.

Sierra Leone is in Group D together with Ivory Coast, Cameroon and DR Congo.

The CAF's ruling also affects games in Liberia, although they have already exited the qualifying competition ahead of the group stages, with no matches planned there between now and mid-September.

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