People from Hong Kong were being increasingly banned from overseas events Friday as fears grow over the outbreak of SARS in the territory.
The latest victim is the Hong Kong Under-19s Rugby Football Union team which has been told its presence is not wanted at the World Championships in Paris this month.
The decision from the French Rugby Federation came after the Ministry of Health asked it to stop Hong Kong taking part because of fears the players will unwittingly transmit the deadly virus abroad.
It came the same day it was revealed that Fijian rugby player Kini Salabogi who attended last week's Hong Kong Sevens tournament had been admitted to hospital back home with SARS-like symptoms.
Hong Kong is the worst hit location outside of China for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) with 734 cases and 17 deaths.
The outbreak has already hit events inside Hong Kong with rock concerts, business events and sporting events being cancelled because of fears over the illness.
On Wednesday the Swiss government banned more than 300 Hong Kong exhibitors at the week-long World Watch and Jewellery Show in Zurich because of SARS.
The Under 19s Rugby team were informed of the ban just as they were getting ready to leave for the tournament which runs from yesterday to April 21.
"I feeling angry, disappointed, astonished and totally deflated," coach Terry Hart told the South China Morning Post. "We feel like lepers. Every dream has been stolen from the lads."
Singer Andy Williams, The Rolling Stones and pop act Moby were some of the first to cancel dates in Hong Kong as the full extent of the SARS outbreak emerged.
The Davis Cup tennis tie between Hong Kong and Lebannon and Hong Kong versus Sri Lanka Olympic football qualifying matches scheduled for next week has also been stopped.
Hotel trade and airlines are also suffering with 98 flights -- one fifth of the total number -- being cancelled at Hong Kong Chep Lap Kok Airport on Thursday.
Tour bookings are down 20 percent to 30 percent and expected to fall further after Wednesday's advisory from the World Health Organization telling travellers not to go to Hong Kong.
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