Soccer-Ivory Coast banned from playing at home because of Ebola fears

ABIDJAN, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Ivory Coast will not be allowed to host their African Nations Cup qualifier next week against Sierra Leone in Abidjan because of fears over the Ebola virus, the country's football federation said on Tuesday. The Ivory Coast government has told the football federation it will not allow the match to take place because all travel between the two countries has been banned. "The authorities are taking no chances against a possible Ebola outbreak," media officer Eric Kacou told reporters. The move followed Congo's demand their scheduled qualifier in Nigeria next weekend be moved to a neutral venue because of similar fears of spreading the deadly fever which has claimed almost 1,500 lives across west Africa in recent weeks. (Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Ed Osmond; mark.gleeson@thomsonreuters.com +27828257807 Messaging mark.gleeson.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net; l)