A major question mark hangs over the World Cross-Country Championships scheduled for March 24 and 25 at Leopardstown racecourse, at which 1,500 athletes and officials from 70 countries are due to attend.
The Athletics Association of Ireland said they were monitoring the situation closely and would liase with the agriculture ministry on the best course of action. Concern was mounting as to whether Dublin would be able to stage the World Cross-Country Championships, with Irish Sports Council chairman John Treacy saying the growing fears with the foot and mouth outbreak complicating the picture.
Treacy, who won an Olympic marathon silver medal at the 1984 Games confirmed: "The suspected case in Armagh has raised the ante. There is a concern about it (the championships) going ahead. The problem is the spectators who will be coming from all over the country and from abroad."
Treacy added that there was no question of the championships being just postponed. "We could not hope to seek a postponement as the athletes would be going on to a different season so we would just have to cancel it," he said. A spokesman for the World Cross-Country Championships said the latest deadline for moving the event away from Dublin would be March 9.
While the event remains on the sporting calendar Nick Davis, President of the AAI, this evening said that the Association would make whatever decisions are necessary in the national interest. He added that they were conscious of the seriousness of the situation and would monitor it over the next few days. He added that the IAAF is being kept informed on an ongoing basis.
In the short term, the AAI have cancelled all events scheduled for the coming weekend, including Saturday's squad session for the World Cross Country Championship team athletes due to take place at the ALSAA complex near Dublin Airport.
Filed by Sinéad Gleesom
