Irish doctors call for end to Sars ban on Special Olympics competitors

The Irish Government is under growing pressure to remove its ban on Special Olympics athletes travelling to Ireland from Sars-affected countries, after the World Health Organisation lifted its travel warning on Hong Kong this weekend.

The president of the Irish Medical Organisation, Dr Joe Barry, said yesterday that the Government's position was illogical and damaging to Ireland's reputation abroad.

'Their stand is not based on sound medical advice. Even before Hong Kong was taken off the travel advisory warning list, their thinking was flawed. We would urge them to rescind. There is still time.'

There were celebrations on the streets of Hong Kong on Friday night after the WHO announced that Sars was under control there and in the neighbouring Chinese province of Guangdong. Yesterday Hong Kong reported no new daily infections for the first time since the outbreak in March. However, the area is still on the Sars-affected list.

A spokesperson for Ireland's Department of Health confirmed yesterday that the ban on athletes would remain unless all the affected countries - China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore - were cleared by the WHO or given the green light by the expert group advising Health Minister Michael Martin.

Timothy Shriver, the president and chief executive officer of the Special Olympics, sounded a note of impatience with the Irish government's stance.

'We have worked tirelessly with the Irish authorities to ease their concerns. But our concern now is that Special Olympics athletes should not be treated unfairly or differently to any other global citizen, and we are encouraged by the outpouring of support from the people of Ireland.'

Shriver pointed out that the Chinese and Taiwanese national table tennis teams had travelled to Europe with precautions in place.

'We are confident that the World Games can be a safe place of welcome for all, with the appropriate authorities working together to implement plans that meet the guidelines set by the WHO,' he said.

His comments came after it was revealed that the Equality Authority of Ireland is investigating a complaint that the Health Minister had breached the Equality Act by asking athletes from Sars-affected countries to stay away. The Act outlaws discrimination on the the basis of disability. Complainants to the authority said that no other visitors from the countries concerned had been asked not to travel to Ireland.

The expert group advising Martin was due to meet next Wednesday to discuss the latest advisories from the WHO, but a spokesman confirmed yesterday that the meeting might take place tomorrow.

The Special Olympics will be opened at Croke Park in Dublin on 21 June by the former South African President, Nelson Mandela. The participating 7,000 athletes from 160 countries will convene around the country on 16 June.