FIFA's executive committee decided Saturday to move next fall's Women's World Cup out of China because of the deadly severe acute respiratory syndrome that has impacted several Asian countries, including China.
The executive committee, chaired by FIFA President Sepp Blatter and meeting in Zurich, followed the unanimous recommendation from FIFA's Sports Medical Committee, chaired by Dr. Michel D'Hooghe of Belgium. The medical committee advised that the tournament be moved after consulting experts at the World Health Organisation (WHO) and specialists in epidemiology and travel medicine in universities throughout Europe.
China, as consolation, was awarded the 2007 Women's World Cup.
FIFA, in a release, said the United States and Australia have expressed interest in staging this year's Women's World Cup, although U.S. Soccer officials told Soccer America that there was no chance the Americans would agree to play host. Alan Rothenberg, who presided over the 1994 World Cup organizing committee, reportedly has offered to help stage the event in the United States.
Soccer Australia last month announced it was willing to stage the event if it were moved from China. The Australians had originally bid for the tournament.
FIFA also said it would be ''clarifying the situation over the next few weeks, especially with regard to the timing of the championship.'' The ideal situation, according to the release, would be for the tournment to coincide with the planned Sept. 23-Oct. 11 window.