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African wrestlers out of World Championships due to Ebola travel restrictions

Wrestling

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - MAY 15: General view of wrestling room inside Olympic Sports Complex 7 at the United States Olympic Training Center on May 15, 2013 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

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Nine wrestlers from African nations affected by the Ebola virus outbreak were barred from next week’s World Championships due to incoming travel restrictions set by the event’s host nation, Uzbekistan.

“Our sympathies go out to the affected wrestlers, coaches and fans,” FILA president Nenad Lalovic said in a press release. “Not only are they dealing with controlling the spread of this deadly virus, but are now unable to pursue their dreams of a World Championship in 2014.”

Seven Nigerian wrestlers and two from Sierra Leone will not be able to compete.

Similar travel bans affected the recent Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China, and the World Judo Championships in Chelyabinsk, Russia.

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