US Grand Prix given green light

The United States Grand Prix will definitely go ahead on Sunday week, despite last week's terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

The United States Grand Prix will definitely go ahead on Sunday week, despite last week's terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

However, the organisers of the event have decided to review their security arrangements in the wake of the attacks on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon.

"While we are very saddened by recent events, we continue to plan and work for what we expect will be a successful and exciting event," said Tony George, the president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "Every top official involved with the organisation of Formula One, including FIA President Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone, has indicated that the US Grand Prix will continue as scheduled."

Several drivers, including David Coulthard, Jenson Button and Ralf Schumacher, have all raised question marks about safety for next week's race. Ferrari's world champion Michael Schumacher had been given the option of pulling out but confirmed last night he would make the trip.

South Korean World Cup organisers have said they will work closely with M15, the CIA and other security bodies to ensure safety at next year's tournament which will be co-hosted with Japan. "International terrorists may use the world's biggest festival as an opportunity for committing terror to make demands and achieve their goals," South Korea's tournament organising committee said in a statement. "We are pushing to adopt the catch phrase 'Safe World Cup' for the 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup." The US squad is due in South Korea for a friendly on 9 December.

Next year's Winter Games in the United States will definitely go ahead, Olympic officials said yesterday, revealing the existence of contingency plans for a plane "catastrophe" at the Olympics. The IOC director general François Carrard said that a plan had been developed to cope with what he called the "worst possible tragedy" of a plane crashing on the opening ceremony at the Olympics.

Greece has also promised to review its security plans for the 2004 Olympics. "It is obvious that under the new circumstances the Games' security plan will be re-examined constantly," a Greek government spokesman said.