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A CRUCIAL meeting today could impact the future participation of all Hong Kong sports teams at overseas events said Fay Ho Kim-fai, executive director of the Sports Association for the Mentally Handicapped.

Senior government officials from the Home Affairs Bureau, medical experts, and local sports community representatives will link up with their Irish counterparts via video conference this morning to push for Hong Kong's full participation at the Special Olympics in Dublin next month.

Hong Kong has proposed cutting their Special Olympics squad by half in a bid to ease Sars fears in Ireland, and today's meeting could influence the Irish government's final decision expected soon.

'Everybody in the Hong Kong sports community would be influenced by a negative reaction from the Irish government,' said Ho.

'We want to explain the facts to them, because clearly Ireland's perception of Sars in Asia has been distorted by media there.'

The Irish government last week asked athletes from Sars-affected regions not to attend the June 21-29 event which cater for athletes with learning disabilities. Seven thousand participants from 166 countries are due to take part in the extravaganza, which occurs every four years.

The Hong Kong proposal is to send only 22 athletes from six sports, but Ho hasn't given up on the original squad of 44 athletes and 18 officials travelling.

'We want them to re-consider and be more supportive - we want to be treated fairly,' said Ho.

'We are desperate to go and would even consider staying in an isolated location away from the other athletes. But I would argue that even this isn't necessary.

'So far, no athletes and nobody in the Hong Kong sports community has contracted Sars. We want to reassure the Irish government of the extensive precautions that have been taken in Hong Kong. We want to explain the reality to them.'

The Irish are famously hospitable people and Ho is confident that added with the peaceful and conciliatory purpose of the Special Olympics, the decision should swing their way.

'It's all about participation and our athletes would be very disappointed if they didn't feel welcome.

'They get so much confidence from meeting people with similar disabilities from all over the world.

'If the Irish government decides to block some countries, it goes against the Special Olympics ideals and principals.'

Yesterday, current affairs commentator and regular South China Morning Post columnist Albert Cheng King-hon suggested on his morning radio phone-in show that Hong Kong team members should still attend the Special Olympics - but as spectators.

'Their presence would no doubt make the Irish people realise what their bureaucrats had done was unfair and wrong,' he said.

On Monday, the International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge criticised Ireland's current stance.

Mr Rogge questioned why the Irish government had not imposed similar travel restrictions on business people, students and tourists from areas hit by the virus.

'I would even say that athletes have far better health and far better immune systems than any other citizens, so I am surprised,'' added Mr Rogge.



Special meeting to put things straight