| | |  News Around the Republic of Mexico | April 2009 
Outbreak Rocks Mexico City
 Stephen Wade - Associated Press
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Mexico City - The remainder of a youth tournament in Mexico was canceled on Monday because of fears about the swine flu epidemic, and Mexico City’s top clubs said they will decide later in the week whether to play matches behind closed doors in an effort to slow the outbreak.
Concacaf, the governing body of football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, said its under-17 tournament in the border city of Tijuana had been called off. Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico and the United States had already clinched berths in the under-17 World Cup.
The football body also postponed the second leg of its Champions League final on Wednesday in Cancun between Mexican clubs Cruz Azul and Atlante. The game will be played May 12. Atlante leads the two-game series, winning the first leg 2-0.
Concacaf said the move was made “to safeguard the health of players, officials and fans.”
Concacaf will decide Tuesday whether to proceed with its beach championship, scheduled for Wednesday through Sunday in Puerto Vallarta.
Three games involving Mexico City clubs were played behind closed doors over the weekend, a measure that might continue since Mexico City is the epicenter of the outbreak.
Decio de Maria, secretary general of the Mexican football federation, said officials would announce plans on Wednesday. He said all nine first-division games were likely to be played – with fans or without.
“The idea is to look for the fewest number of games to be played behind closed doors,” he said. “If necessary, we’ll play all matches behind closed doors. We don’t foresee canceling any games.”
With the death toll rising, playing games in empty stadiums is part of a wider effort to contain the outbreak. Health officials say 20 deaths in Mexico are confirmed to be from swine flu. In addition, swine flu is suspected in more than 100 other deaths.
Fear of the spreading flu epidemic is also following Mexican clubs as they travel abroad.
Chivas arrived Monday in Santiago, Chile, and — like others leaving the plane — players were scanned by a device to detect high fevers. Players also had to fill out health questionnaires.
Chivas is facing Chilean club Everton on Wednesday in the Copa Libertadores. This is the final round of group play, and both teams can still qualify for the final knock-out round of 16.
Chivas team officials have said little about players’ activities in Chile, but the newspaper El Mercurio said players may be confined to their hotel. Team doctor Narciso Lopez told the paper that players would eat separated from other guests.
“I think all the news has exaggerated the problem,” Lopez said. “The important thing is to take measures so it [the outbreak] does not expand.” |
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