Final bid by Hong Kong on SARS ban

Hong Kong government officials will make a final attempt to convince Irish health authorities to allow athletes from the SARS-affected region to participate in the Special Olympics.

The Department of Health's decision this week to ask more than 100 athletes from areas where "local transmission" of the virus has been recorded to stay away from the games has attracted bitter criticism.

The Hong Kong Special Olympics group yesterday accused the Government of "discriminating" against its athletes and ignoring proposals to quarantine its 30-strong team of athletes and coaches.

In a statement the group said: "The ban is totally unfair and unjust. The Irish Government is promoting discrimination against persons with mental handicaps. They do not ban tourists and merchants travelling to Ireland. Why should the mentally handicapped be rejected?"

An editorial in yesterday's edition of the South China Morning Post said the Department's decision "defies belief" and "smacks of discrimination".

Hong Kong government officials, who are lobbying to have the athletes admitted, however, sounded more upbeat last night and expressed hope that a solution could still be found.

Mr D.C. Cheung, Hong Kong's deputy trade representative to the European Union, told The Irish Times: "We think positively. We, the Irish and Hong Kong governments, should be trying our best to allow this group of talented and challenged athletes to participate in the games."

The Hong Kong delegation also met the chairwoman of the National Disability Authority, Ms Angela Kerins, who said she would contact a number of Government Ministers to express support for a solution to the issue.

At least 100 of the 7,000 Special Olympics athletes from areas such as Taiwan, Toronto, Hong Kong, Beijing and other parts of China are affected by the Department's decision.

While the Hong Kong delegation is due to continue talks with officials from the Departments of Health and Foreign Affairs today, time is running out for a solution.

Next Monday is effectively the deadline for a solution as any isolation measures would take between 10 and 14 days, while the games are due to get under way on June 21st.

The Hong Kong Special Olympics group has recruited a team of six Irish-trained doctors, led by a SARS expert, who would monitor the isolation conditions, in an effort to convince Irish health authorities to allow its athletes to compete.

However, there appears to be little sign of a further softening of the expert group's position as long as Hong Kong is still on the WHO's list of infected countries.