The epidemic severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) continued to rampage Taiwan that for the 30 years the national collegiate athletic meet was for the first time to be cancelled.

Meanwhile, Shao-Mo Memorial Natatorium Complex has temporarily been closed since last Wednesday. A TKU water athletic meet to be held in mid May was also cancelled.

Wang Yi-hsiang, Director of Office of Physical Education (OPE), said that the Ministry of Education instructed that the national collegiate athletic meet be temporarily halted until SARS is under control. He called on athletes to be more positive though they have spent one year preparing for the big event. Wang also said, “those senior athletes might not be able to take part in the competition. However, the training process sometimes means more than the consequence and they are the best candidates to me.”

As for Shao-Mo Memorial Natatorium Complex, Wang stressed that school authorities have decided to temporarily close the swimming pool in accordance with the decision made by the Ministry of Education (MOE).

Therefore, Wang said that all activities sponsored by OPE will also be temporarily stopped.

According to Physical Education Instruction Section, OPE, courses conducted in the swimming complex will be no problem but the course in the swimming pool will be adjusted to classrooms to watch documentary films, physical training and aerobic dancing.