Sierra Leone, Liberia to skip Youth Olympics in Nanjing due to Ebola virus

NANJING, China - Sierra Leone and Liberia, both affected by the deadly Ebola virus, will not send young athletes to take part in the upcoming 2nd summer Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said here on Friday.

Emmanuelle Moreau, IOC's head of media relations, confirmed to Xinhua Friday afternoon that the delegations of Sierra Leone and Liberia "actually never travelled to Nanjing".

More than 1,000 people have died in an Ebola outbreak in West Africa that has touched Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia and Nigeria. The outbreak has forced qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations to be moved from the affected countries.

Although the risk of Ebola infection is "extremely unlikely" at the Aug. 16-28 Youth Olympics, in accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines the Chinese authorities are fully prepared should any outbreak occur, the IOC said.

"With regard to ensuring the safety of all those participating in the Youth Olympic Games and the people of the city of Nanjing we have been working closely with the Chinese health authorities and under the guidance of the World Health Organization," the IOC and Nanjing Youth Olympic Games Organizing Committee (NYOGOC) said in a joint statement.

"We have been reassured by the health authorities that there have been no suspected cases and that the risk of infection is extremely unlikely."

The IOC said that the IOC and NYOGOC have developed a policy which balances the health needs of all, with respect for the rights of the young athletes from the region.

"All delegations are welcome to the Games and each country is free to take their own decision on attendance," said the IOC and NYOGOC statement.

"Those from the region will be subject to regular temperature and physical assessment throughout the period.

"Based on health authority guidelines it has been decided that athletes from affected areas will not compete in combat sports. Additionally, based on the inability to completely exclude the risk of potential infection it was also decided that no athletes from the region would compete in the pool.

"We regret that due to this issue some young athletes may have suffered twice, both from the anguish caused by the outbreak in their home countries and by not being able to compete in the Youth Olympic Games.

"The IOC and Organizing Committee will therefore offer to each of the National Olympic Committees affected, if they wish, that their national flag will be brought into the stadium at the opening ceremony and will be hoisted at the venues.

"The athletes who have not been able to participate will also receive in the near future an invitation from the IOC and the organizing committee to come to Nanjing to take part in a sporting competition and to experience the welcoming atmosphere and spirit of the city and Jiangsu province."