SARS group considering request from Taiwanese

The State's expert group on SARS is considering a submission from the Taiwanese authorities requesting that its athletes be allowed…

The State's expert group on SARS is considering a submission from the Taiwanese authorities requesting that its athletes be allowed participate in the Special Olympics World Games.

Taiwanese athletes remain the only group facing exclusion from the games.

Last week the expert group diluted its decision of May 15th not to invite athletes from SARS-affected "countries" to the games. The Special Olympics starts on June 21st.

The group decided that only athletes from SARS-affected "regions" or "areas" in countries of recent local transmission would be banned from attending.

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Athletes travelling to the games from Canada and most of China will now be accepted, although athletes from certain regions of China will not be attending.

Travel advice for Irish citizens concerning China has also been amended by the expert group to reflect the current WHO list of areas of recent local transmission.

The Hong Kong Authorities have put in place a quarantine system which means its complete delegation will be allowed to travel.

It is not clear when the expert group will reach a decision on the Taiwanese submission.

David Labanyi

David Labanyi

David Labanyi is the Head of Audience with The Irish Times