Greens' red light as golf responds

Golf: Golf clubs throughout the country have responded positively to the battle against the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, especially west of the Shannon, writes Dermot Gilleece. Most rural courses in Connacht, especially in Leitrim, Mayo and areas of Galway, have ceased all activities, while a number of Leinster clubs have followed suit.

The clubs closed in Connacht are: Loughrea, Portumna, Gort, Oughterard, Mulrany, Achill, Carrick-on-Shannon, Ballinamore, Claremorris and Strandhill. In Leinster, Athy, Ardee, Greenore, Dundalk, Enniscorthy, New Ross, Wexford, Curragh and Cill Dara are also closed.

Activities have ceased at two of Killarney's three courses - the Mahony's Point and Killeen stretches - and no green-fees are being accepted at Waterville. Lahinch is closed for the week. North Cork clubs are discouraging visitors, while green-fees have ceased at Cork City clubs with the exception of Monkstown, who will accept only local players.

"The general message we are getting . . . is that the majority of clubs have stopped taking greenfees," said Shay Smith, general secretary of the GUI. "In the meantime, I have asked John Treacy (chief executive of the Irish Sports Council) to see if the Sports Minister could give a clear directive on the issue.

"There is a lot of money involved in the golf industry and, as an advisory body, we are not in a position to tell the clubs what to do," he added.

Athletics: Officials from the Athletics Association of Ireland (AAI) have deferred a final decision on whether Leopardstown can still stage the World Cross Country Championships, writes Ian O'Riordan.

Preparations are continuing for the weekend of March 24th-25th, but, in the meantime, Brussels has become the leading candidate to stage the championships if the event is forced out of Dublin because of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

The AAI have yet to get a final word from the Department of Agriculture concerning the risks surrounding the event, and there is also no confirmation from the IAAF on an alternative venue. News on both those matters is expected in the next day or two.

In the meantime, the AAI have cancelled the cross country short course trials which were scheduled to take place in Dublin's ALSAA complex on Sunday.

The AAI have also cancelled this weekend's Juvenile Indoor Championships in Nenagh.