One of the nation's top aquatic officials confirmed the safety of the Chinese diving team ahead of their arrival in Beijing today after possible exposure swine flu while in Mexico City for the Diving World Series of the International Federation of Swimming.
"So far as I know, the condition of the whole team is normal and stable," said Lan Jing, an official from the Chinese Swimming Administrative Center.
Spectators were forbidden from the final two days of the event in order to prevent additional infections, after the virus killed 81 people in the North American country, with only media permitted to attend.
Local media reported that the squad gave up the men's synchronized 3m springboard event after world and Olympic champion Qin Kai felt fagitue, raising fears among his fellow members and officials.
Team leader Zhou Jihong said the decision was made according to Qin's condition and grueling recent schedule.
"Qin has competed in four stops of the series and felt tired after the men's 3m springboard," Zhou was quoted as saying by Titan Sports. "We were concerned that the depletion of his immunity would make him more susceptible to swine flu, so we decided to give up the synchronized event. The health of the diver is the most important."
Lan also confirmed that Qin was now healthy. "I heard no bad news concerning the health of the team," Lan told China Daily. "I believe the whole team is OK."
In light of the flu epidemic, the team will return directly to China and forgo a planned training stop in the US.
They will arrive in Beijing today and, according to Lan, be quarantined only if regulations require them to be.
"We can't stop the team coming back home," Lan said. "As the administrative center, we have no special arrangement for the team, but the relative department of the state might have some contingency plan."
As for whether the team will compete in the US from May 7-9, as scheduled, Lan said it would depend on whether the swine flu epidemic prompted organizers to cancel the event.
(China Daily April 28, 2009)
