SARS group maintains Games travel ban

THE Health Minister’s Expert Group on SARS has refused to bow to intense pressure to reverse its controversial decision to request that athletes from SARS-infected countries should not travel to the Special Olympics next month.

But it has received, and has promised to consider, submissions made by Special Olympics groups here and abroad, as well as an appeal from the Chinese government ahead of the Games.

Just two weeks ago, the same group told the Health Minister that the most prudent course of action would be not to invite athletes from such countries to the Games. Last night’s decision means that athletes from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Toronto won’t be travelling, unless significant progress is made to rid their areas of SARS over the coming week.