MADRID (AP) — Guinea forward Lass Bangoura says he left his national team to calm the fears of his Spanish club teammates who were worried about the Ebola outbreak.
Lass was called to play for Guinea in its 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ghana on Friday, which was moved from Guinea to Morocco because of concerns about Ebola.
But Lass said on Thursday, “When they told me my teammates were worried, I made the decision to come back, speak with them, and tell them that they shouldn’t be afraid.
“They called me twice, but I couldn’t answer because I was training, and later I spoke with my agent. I then spoke with my coach and I told him that I had a problem with my club because my teammates were afraid, and that if he could let me go to do things because I didn’t want trouble with my club, which is who pays me.”
Rayo Vallecano spokesman Fernando Lopez told The Associated Press that the club did not ask Lass to return, but instead it suggested he not travel to Guinea and instead go directly to Morocco. Lopez said Lass agreed to that travel plan.
The first cases of Ebola were confirmed in Guinea in March. The outbreak has killed more than 3,800 people, mainly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
A Spanish nursing assistant became the first person to catch Ebola outside West Africa after treating a sick missionary brought back to Madrid.
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