Democratic Republic of the Congo have asked FIFA to refund World Cup tickets purchased by supporters unable to travel to the United States because of Ebola-related restrictions.
The Leopards are preparing for their first World Cup appearance since 1974, but the ongoing health crisis in central and East Africa has complicated travel plans for thousands of fans hoping to support the team in North America.
The World Health Organization raised concerns earlier this month after more than 900 suspected Ebola cases and 223 suspected deaths were reported across the region, with most cases linked to DR Congo.
As a result, the United States has suspended entry for non-Americans who have been in DR Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within the previous 21 days.
Fecofa appeals to FIFA
Veron Mosengo-Omba, president of DR Congo’s football federation, confirmed that discussions had already been opened with FIFA regarding possible refunds for affected supporters.
“We asked Fifa if this is possible to take this into consideration, because the tickets are little bit expensive,” Mosengo-Omba told BBC Sport Africa.
“They are punished because they cannot get [in to the US] to see the World Cup to support their team.”
“We don’t want our supporters who love football, who love the World Cup, to lose everything,” he added.
FIFA reportedly responded by saying it would “look into it in due course.”
The governing body’s current ticket policy mainly allows resale or ticket transfer, with refunds usually reserved for exceptional situations such as cancelled matches.
Team unaffected by restrictions
Despite the travel limitations affecting supporters, DR Congo’s squad is not expected to face problems entering the United States.
Most players and coaching staff are based in Europe, while officials travelling from DR Congo have already left the country early to satisfy the quarantine requirement.
The team also cancelled a planned training camp in Kinshasa and instead moved preparations to Belgium before travelling to Texas for the tournament.
DR Congo open their World Cup campaign against Portugal on June 17 in Houston before facing Colombia and Uzbekistan in Group K.
