Reversing ban should be considered

Minister for Health Micheál Martin appeared yesterday to let the door open a fraction for a possible rethink on his decision to ban Special Olympics athletes from the five regions he designated as a risk because of SARS.

Understandably, that announcement attracted a considerable degree of criticism because it ostensibly affected the athletes only, but not other travellers from the areas in question.

On that basis it was an ill-judged decision, because it appeared to isolate those travelling to the Special Olympics specifically, without any restrictions whatever being imposed on regular travellers arriving in this country from the same five countries.

Yesterday, the minister said he received a request from the national and international committees to allow them to make a presentation against the decision and that would be facilitated over the next few days.

The only possible interpretation of that is he could possibly have a change of heart, because otherwise there would be no point in building up the hopes of the committees only to have them dashed again.

That being the case, it is a pity that such an approach was not adopted before the minister went public with a precipitous decision, one which apparently had the imprimatur of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Tánaiste Mary Harney.

This is the first time that the Special Olympics is being held outside the United States, and it was a signal honour that this country was accorded the privilege to host such a prestigious event, which is the biggest in the sporting world this year.

Therefore, it is remarkable that the decision to exclude athletes from five countries, which had the appearance of a panic reaction , should have been taken against the guidelines of the World Health Organisation in relation to events with large attendances.

The minister and the authorities here received another request yesterday, and, under the circumstances, it was a remarkably subdued and reasoned one from the government of Hong Kong.

While it regretted the decision to exclude its athletes, an offer was made whereby Hong Kong’s medical experts are willing to exchange views and information with the Irish medical experts on SARS.

Hong Kong’s secretary for home affairs, Dr Patrick Ho, said that the travel restrictions imposed on the delegation are unnecessary and unreasonable.

Furthermore, he pointed out that the Hong Kong delegation had proposed to the Irish Special Olympics Organising Committee a series of precautionary measures for the participating athletes to safeguard their health prior to departure for the games.

lt would be disingenuous to ascribe motives of discrimination in euphemistically “requesting” the five delegations and their back-up support not to travel from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and the Philippines.

Equally, when the minister said it was an issue of public health, it did not reflect any such major policy which has been implemented here in regard to measures taken to prevent the arrival of SARS in this country.

At this juncture, the Government must give serious consideration to rescinding the decision where satisfactory measures have been put in place.