Swine flu scare hits World Badminton Championships

A SWINE flu scare has hit the World Badminton Championships in Hyderabad.

With organisers still reeling from criticism of their security arrangements, which forced the English team to quit the event in a blaze of publicity, the news is a further blow.

Two Thai players - Patipat Chalardchaleam and Nuttaphon Narkthong – have been hospitalised with fevers and flu-like symptoms.

In addition an unnamed Singapore player and coach from the Malaysian team have also been admitted for observation and are in quarantine.

However, officials from the Badminton World Federation have ruled out any disruption to the event and have played down reports that the powerful Chinese and Malaysian teams were also ready to quit the event.

“We have not received any concerns from any team or player,” said Thomas Lund, the BWF’s chief operating officer.

“We will manage the situation over the rest of the tournament and make sure that none of the players are in any danger.”

Meanwhile, Welsh mixed doubles partnership Sarah Thomas and Richard Vaughan saw their campaign last just 23 minutes as they lost 21-15, 21-12 to Danish seventh seeds Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter Juhl.

It leaves Scotland’s Susan Egelstaff, a bronze medallist at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, as the sole remaining British player at the event – she faces number 11 seed, Germany’s Juliane Schenk, tomorrow.