As it ravages western Africa, Ebola cast a shadow extending as far as China. Officials at the Youth Olympics in Nanjing banned athletes from the Ebola-affected nations of Guinea and Nigeria from pool and contact sports.

The safety measure extends to three athletes in total: Female judo athlete Mamadama Bangoura and 16-year-old male swimmer Alhoussene Sylla, both from Guinea, will miss their events, along with 16-year-old female Nigerian wrestler Bose Samuel. 

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"We regret that due to this issue some young athletes may have suffered twice, both from the anguish caused by the outbreak in their home countries and by not being able to compete in the Youth Olympic Games," the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Nanjing Youth Olympic Organizing Committee said in a statement. 

Sports officials prohibited athletes from the Ebola outbreak hot zones from competing in contact sports citing "health authority guidelines." and from aquatic events "based on the inability to completely exclude the risk of potential infection," explained the statement issued Thursday. 

The IOC and Chinese medical authorities say there are currently no suspected cases and that the risk of infection is "extremely unlikely." 

Olympic and Chinese health authorities are monitoring the health of athletes from the regions where Ebola is either confirmed or suspected. The viral disease, which has a 90 percent fatality rate, can have an incubation period of up to a month before symptoms appear. Over 1,000 people have thus far died from contracting the virus.

The other afflicted countries, Sierra Leone and Liberia, opted out of the games. Guinea is represented by two other attendees, but its athletes are isolated from other teams during practice and competitions. 

Game officials say the three banned athletes will be invited back to Nanjing for other competitions.

The 12-day Youth Olympics are attended by over 3,000 athletes aged 15 to 18.

Tags2nd Youth Olympic Games, Nanjing Olympic Games