EBOLA IN MOROCCO: Morocco opts against hosting CAF over Ebola

The 16-team Cup for African Football faces cancellation amid lack of alternative venue amid fear of deadly virus. Morocco has failed to meet a deadline to confirm it will go ahead with the hosting of January's African Nations Cup finals, throwing the 2015 tournament into jeopardy amid fears over the spread of the Ebola virus. Morocco officials, who want the 16-team event postponed, said they had rejected an ultimatum set by the Confederation of African Football to confirm their hosting of the continental championship, set from January 17 to February 8. A decision on the tournament will now be made next week when CAF have an executive committee meeting in Cairo but Morocco are almost certain to be stripped as hosts. CAF said Morocco's concerns are alarmist, notably the fear the competition will attract tens of thousands of visitors from west Africa where almost 5,000 have died because of Ebola. The confederation believes there will be just a few thousand travelling fans and points out that only one country where Ebola has proven deadly, Guinea, are in the running to qualify. "We understand the precaution a sovereign state has to take but it's important not to stigmatise the virus and increase the fear of it, rather be factual about how it can be transmitted from one place to the other while taking all necessary measures," said CAF general secretary Hicham El Amrani this week. Moroccan Youth and Sports Minister Mohamed Ouzzine, however, suggested the public may boycott the tournament and players based in Europe would not take part, rendering it a flop for all concerned. Ouzzine's country faces sanctions because it withdrew as hosts, while CAF is gambling with a showpiece event that provides a major share of its income through marketing and television spoils. CAF has been unable to gain public declarations of interest from other countries it has approached to step in as emergency hosts. With the absence of an alternative venue, the 16-team competition could face cancellation.