UpdateNigeria quits youth Olympics in China amid Ebola-linked sporting bans
Athletes from the Ebola-affected region of Africa would be excluded from combat sports and aquatic events at the Youth Olympic Games, which start today in Nanjing, the International Olympic Committee and local organisers said.
Nigeria has withdrawn from the Youth Olympics in the Chinese city of Nanjing, state media reported Saturday, as four African nations battle the worst outbreak of the Ebola virus in decades.
Nigeria’s decision was confirmed by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach in Nanjing, China’s official Xinhua news agency said.
“We feel sad for the athletes as it will be extremely difficult for them,” Bach said of the Nigerians, Xinhua reported. “They already felt the excitement of living in the Village and now they have to leave -- that’s a very difficult task.”
The decision, which affects three athletes whose names and nationalities were not identified, was made “to ensure the safety of all those participating”, the IOC and Chinese organisers said.
Athletes from the Ebola-affected region of Africa would be excluded from combat sports and aquatic events at the Youth Olympic Games, which start today in Nanjing, organisers said.
This comes as the World Health Organisation said the scale of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa had been "vastly" underestimated, requiring a massive escalation of efforts to combat the deadly disease.