The IAAF were today forced to switch the World Cross Country Championships from it’s original venue at Leopardstown to Brussels in response to the ongoing foot-and-mouth crisis.
The event was due to be held at Leopardstown Racecourse on March 24th and 25th but will now go ahead on the same weekend in the Belgian capital.
The Athletics Association of Ireland (AAI), who had further meetings with the Department of Agriculture this morning announced:
"After long discussions between the AAI, IAAF, the Department of Agriculture and our hosts Leopardstown Racecourse we were left with no choice but to bring about the emergency measures in an effort to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth."
"The Department of Agriculture were not prepared to give the event their blessing," according to Christy Wall, head of the championships organising committee.
The International Amateur Athletic Federation said: "The IAAF accepts the decision with regret but fully understands that the extraordinary circumstances left the Irish government and the Irish Athletic Association with no alternative but to cancel the event."
Speaking of his disappointment AAI President Nick Davies told ireland.com:"Of course we are disappointed about the cancellation but after extensive discussions with the relevant bodies concerned, we were left with no choice but to cancel the event."
He added: "We will now channel our efforts into making sure preparations run smoothly for our athletes travelling to Brussels."
Davies did not think the switch to Brussels would hinder the performances of the Irish athletes but he did reiterate athletes like the Olympic silver medallist, Sonia O’Sullivan, had been looking forward to competing in front of a home crowd.
Reflecting on the financial implications of the switch, Wall said: "It's really disappointing and it is going to cost us as much not to host the event - £1 million - as it would have done if we had held it."
Wall, who had worked on the organising of the championships for the past 18 months along with 700 volunteer workers, warned that the cancellation set a dangerous precedent for sporting events in Ireland.
"This would have been the biggest event ever staged in Ireland bringing nearly 1,000 athletes from over 70 countries to the country," he said.- additional reporting AFP