Sydney, May 02: The World Track Cycling Championships scheduled for China in July will be moved elsewhere because of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak, a senior International Cycling Union (UCI) official said today. UCI vice president Ray Godkin, an Australian, said that the titles would not be held in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen from July 30 to August 3 as previously scheduled.

Godkin would not reveal which city had been awarded the championships, with an announcement to be made next week, but he said they would be held in August. "It won't be in China," Godkin said at the Australian Track Cycling Championships in Sydney. "The announcement of where it will be will be made next Wednesday when the contracts are signed."

Australian Associated Press reported that Manchester, England and Bordeaux, France are the main contenders to replace China as host. Australia was the first country to offer to hold the championships in place of China. But with Sydney hosting a World Cup meet later this month and another next May, plus Melbourne holding next year's world championships, it was unlikely to win support of northern hemisphere countries which would have to travel to Australia several times in 12 months.

The decision to move the championships from China comes after Australia and France earlier this week refused to send teams to Shenzhen, in the Guangdong province, where SARS is believed to have originated.

Bureau Report