Scheduled for this Thursday, June 4 in Marrakech, the friendly between Burundi and Equatorial Guinea will not take place: Morocco has suspended several international fixtures planned on its soil as a precaution against the Ebola outbreak, according to the federations involved.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) decided to cancel several friendlies during June’s international window as a precautionary measure against the spread of the virus in parts of East Africa, notably Uganda. The cancellations affect fixtures involving Rwanda and Uganda — including Tanzania–Uganda, Uganda–Madagascar, Tanzania–Rwanda and Comoros–Rwanda. According to Burundian outlet Iwacu, the Burundi Football Federation (FFB) has confirmed that its own match against Equatorial Guinea, due to be played in Marrakech, is also off. No rescheduled date has been announced so far.
For both the Intamba Mu Rugamba and the Nzalang Nacional, it means losing a preparation window just as the two sides hoped to test themselves before upcoming qualifying campaigns. Morocco’s decision reflects a familiar health-first stance: in 2015, the Kingdom withdrew from hosting the Africa Cup of Nations over Ebola concerns. It now falls to the Burundian and Equatoguinean federations to find, if possible, a replacement opponent and venue so the window is not entirely lost.