The Far East is on Sars alert

Several teams pulled out of the recent Hong Kong Sevens because of fears over the illness, while one Fiji player has now been cleared of contracting the virus after showing flu-like symptons following the tournament.

The mystery strain of pneumonia has also led to the women's ice hockey world championship being cancelled and threatens the cycling world track championships in August.

Fiji player cleared of virus

Fiji rugby player Filimoni Salabogi has been cleared of contracting the virus following his trip to the Hong Kong Sevens.

Salabogi was admitted to hospital on Thursday with flu-like symptoms suspected of SARS but Fiji Health Minister Solomoni Naivalu said tests carried out on the player came out negative.

Singapore players face quarantine

The 26 players from the Singapore men and women's rugby team will be quarantined as a precaution after returning from the tournament.

The Singapore Sevens rugby tournament, due to be held on 26-27 April has been postponed because of the illness.

The French Rugby Federation (FFR) has withdrawn its invitation to Hong Kong to take part in the World Under-19 Championship in Paris from 4-19 April, while Chinese Taipei have also pulled out of the event.

ICE HOCKEY

Women's world championship cancelled

The women's world ice hockey championship in Beijing which was due to take place from 3-9 April in May has been cancelled because of health worries.

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) said it was "extraordinarily concerned" .

Switzerland, Sweden, Russia and Germany arrived in Beijing in late March, while Canada, the United States and Finland were also due to travel this week.

The four teams already in China have been advised to return home as soon as possible.

The IIHF is yet to decide whether to hold the world championships at a later date.

CYCLING

Cycling's governing body has approached the World Health Organisation fearing the track world championships in August in China could be threatened by the virus.

The track championships are taking place in Shenzhen, southern China where Sars was first indentified.

But a Shenzhen Sports Bureau official has insisted that the event will go ahead.

FOOTBALL

Two Asian qualifying matches for the 2004 Olympic soccer tournament between Singapore and Taiwan, and Hong Kong and Sri Lanka, were postponed on Wednesday because of fears over Sars.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has also postponed the Women's Championship due to kick off in Thailand on 17 April.

The AFC has also had to put the Olympic qualifier between Iraq and Vietnam on hold because of the war in Iraq.

Everton's planned tour of China in May has also been cancelled because of fears over the virus.

Gazza unfazed by virus

But Paul Gascoigne remains committed to his new Chinese club Gansu Tianma.

The Queen Elizabeth II Cup in Hong Kong later this month could be in doubt because of the Sars virus.

Organisers of the race, which is the first leg of the World Series, have been discussing contingency plans but say a decision is not likely to be taken for a couple of weeks.

Hong Kong-based French jockey Eric Saint-Martin returned home last week, saying that he could not take any risks with his family's health.