Atypical Pneumonia Torpedoed Women's Ice Hockey World Championship

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has decided to cancel the women's ice hockey world championship earlier due in Beijing on April 3-9, because of the atypical pneumonia virus, RIA Novosti was told at the IIHF headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, on Monday.

According to IIHF President Rene Fazel, in the current situation the cancellation of the championship was the only correct decision, since the Federation cannot guarantee security to the entrants and officials.

The national teams of Russia, Sweden, Germany and Switzerland, which arrived in Beijing last week, were directed to leave the Chinese capital within the shortest possible time. The other participating squads (apart from the host team) - Canada, the USA and Finland - did not arrive at the place where the tournament was to be staged.

The IIHF will soon decide if the world championship will be held at a different time.

The spread of the mortally dangerous infection began in the southern part of China. According to medics' data, atypical pneumonia has affected a total of about 1,600 persons in the world, approximately 60 of whom died.