The Credit Suisse First Boston Hong Kong Sevens will go ahead despite the war and the pneumonia crisis, said the International Rugby Board (IRB) yesterday. The Hong Kong Sevens are the fifth leg of the IRB Sevens.
'The Hong Kong Sevens are still going ahead. We are monitoring both situations and as of today we have been told that it is safe to travel to Hong Kong,' said Michelle Treacy, IRB assistant communications manager.
She said the IRB had been in touch with all 23 visiting teams and advised them that it was safe to travel. The world governing body are also in daily contact with WHO who have advised them that there was no problem in going to Hong Kong despite the pneumonia outbreak.
Two years ago the IRB pulled out of the Dubai Sevens after the atttack on the World Trade Centre in New York. Although the Dubai event went ahead, it was not an official leg of the series.
'At the time a lot of teams were uncomfortable with travelling and didn't want to go. That is why the IRB pulled out of Dubai. But in this instance, countries are still seeking advice from us and none of them have indicated that they want to pull out,' she said.
New Zealand and South Africa, two of the teams who were worried about the situation in Hong Kong, yesterday announced their squads. New Zealand had earlier pushed back their arrival to Hong Kong by 48 hours due to the flu outbreak.
Kiwi sevens coach Gordon Tietjens has expressed his concern at leading his side to Hong Kong given the current international situation. 'It's a concern for us all of us, flying and the possibility of this virus going around and 40,000 people at the Hong Kong ground, Teitjens was quoted as telling the Manawatu Evening Standard.