Badminton: World Championships fall victim to virus

The International Badminton Federation has ignored UK government advice and cancelled its World Championships, which were scheduled to be held in Birmingham on 12-18 May, because of fears over the Sars virus.

A total of 337 players from 48 countries had been entered for the event, to held at the National Indoor Arena. China, where the Sars outbreak began, is the world's foremost badminton nation and would have sent a party of 30 players and officials.

The sport's world governing body yesterday issued a statement saying it had acted "with the greatest regret". The statement added: "Following concerns raised by several member associations, and considering that the world championships' environment would result in many close-contact situations between players, officials and volunteers, [the Board] felt on balance that a postponement was the responsible decision."

Hazel Blears MP, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health, had earlier written to the IBF, saying there was no advice to cancel large-scale events.