By Andrew Warshaw
October 20 – FIFA is to step up its global awareness drive highlighting the threat of the Ebola virus which has killed more than 4,500 people and has placed next year’s African Cup of Nations in serious jeopardy.
Already a stadium in Liberia, one of the three countries that have borne the brunt of the outbreak, is being converted to house two urgently needed Ebola treatment units in an arrangement between FIFA and the World Health Organisation.
Under the new promotional campaign currently being drawn up, players will be urged to take every precaution in a bid to stave off the deadly disease and stop it spreading.
“This is a worldwide dangerous situation,” FIFA’s medical chief Michel d’Hooghe told Insideworldfootball. “We are currently preparing a campaign. What we will say is ‘be careful, wash your hands and take all possible precautions against any form of contamination.,”
The veteran Belgian, a senior member of FIFA’s executive committee who voted in the December 2010, ballot to choose the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts, has been at pains in recent weeks not to become embroiled in the debate over whether Michael Garcia’s potentially explosive report into possible corruption should be published.
D’Hooghe says the dangers of Ebola infiltrating football is a far more serious matter.
“This is far more important for me than things like Michael Garcia’s report. I have known since the very beginning that this is a worldwide dangerous situation, particularly at a time where communication between people all over the world is so easy. It’s a big problem.”
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