#INSERT type:image caption:Nigeria are the defending champions after beating Burkina Faso in 2013. END#
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has said next year's African Nations Cup will go ahead as scheduled despite a request from the Moroccan government for its postponement.
Morocco made the request because of fears over the spread of the Ebola virus, which has so far killed more than 4,000 people as it sweeps through west Africa.
Fatalities have been reported in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, although no cases have yet been reported in African Nations Cup host country Morocco.
CAF officials had said they would review a report from the Moroccan health ministry about the dangers involved in hosting the tournament.
And in a statement released on Saturday, they announced that the event would be going ahead as planned.
However, further discussions on the issue would take place at the CAF executive committee meeting early next month, with a meeting with Moroccan officials then being held.
"CAF has registered the request and wishes to state that there are no changes of the schedules of its competitions and events," the statement said.
"It must be noted that, since the first edition in 1957, the Africa Cup of Nations has never witnessed a deferral or a change in schedule.
"CAF has also been cautions since the commencement of the final round... on the health risks posed by the ebola virus and has consistently applied precautionary principles, taking into account the recommendations of the World Health Organisation and various medical experts."
The African Nations Cup is scheduled to run from Jan. 17 until Feb. 8.