The Singapore Sevens has become the latest victim of the Sars bug. Organisers of the Singapore leg of the IRB Sevens announced yesterday that the tournament has been postponed and they would be asking the International Rugby Board to re-schedule the event.
The Singapore Sevens was to be held from April 26-27. But the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) has resulted in organisers postponing the tournament. This follows the cancellation of this weekend's Beijing Sevens.
'In view of the current Sars outbreak, the organising committee of the IRB Sevens Singapore announced today that the event will not be staged as scheduled,' a statement from the organisers said yesterday.
'We are seeking for a postponement from the IRB. Hopefully the tournament can be held sometime in May. Of course this would depend on the situation here as well as globally,' said Rose Khan, a spokesperson for the event organisers.
The Singapore government is not taking any chances with the virus which has claimed four lives and infected another 100 people. The Singapore government had been critical of their Sevens teams' decision to play in the Hong Kong Sevens amid the outbreak and quarantined the entire party upon their return.
'Altogether about 25 people are quarantined. The men's and women's teams as well as technical director Alan Thomas and general manager Ridzal Saat,' said a Singapore Rugby Union official yesterday. 'Most are at an undisclosed area but some are under home quarantine.'