Sierra Leone Cyclist cleared of Ebola at Commonwealth Games

Glasgow, Scotland (AP) — Reacting to sensationalistic headlines such as “Ebola Terror at Commonwealth Games” in a British newspaper, officials said on Friday that a Sierra Leone cyclist passed tests for the Ebola virus and competed.

“There is no Ebola in the athletes’ village,” a games statement said. “We can confirm an athlete was tested for a number of things when he fell ill last week, including Ebola. The tests were negative and the athlete competed in his event on Thursday.

“We are dismayed by some of the sensational and misleading headlines to date and request that these are not repeated.”

Mike Hooper, chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, added, “The headlines and the reports were not only sensationalist, but irresponsible.”

Another Sierra Leone cyclist was possibly missing, but the team and games organisers were not yet concerned about Mohamed Tholley, who pulled out of the time trial on Thursday and was entered in the road race on Saturday.

The athlete tested for Ebola was road cyclist Moses Sesay, 32. He was admitted to a Glasgow hospital last week after feeling unwell, and doctors tested him for various conditions, including Ebola, which is blamed for more than 700 deaths in an outbreak in three west African countries, including Sierra Leone.